ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (APP): Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas and Information Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Monday that Gilgit-Baltistan Package announced by the present democratic government was a historic step which has fulfilled the long-standing demand of the people of Northern Area.In a statement here,the federal minister who is also Governor-designate of Gilgit-Baltistan said some elements were trying to find fault with the package without reading it.

Kaira clarified that he enjoyed more powers as Minister for KANA than he would have as governor of Gilgit-Baltistan and added that the power that he had as minister would now be shifted to a powerful and representative assembly.

The minister also said that the package for Northern Areas was approved after taking all stakeholders into confidence.Referring to the statement of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, he said that it was the honour of the PPP all major improvements for Northern Areas were made during its rule including the first Northern Areas Council Legal Framework Order 1974-75 by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and further democratization through Northern Areas Legal Framework Order 1994 by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

The government has accepted political,legal and economic demands of the people of Northern Areas (Gilgit-Baltistan) by empowering them through Gilgit Baltistan Empowerment order,on the model of Azad Kashmir,he said.The PPP while following the philosophy of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Shaheed Zulifikar  Ali Bhutto to empower the people,the government has fulfilled their long-standing demand,he added.

Kaira said  the post of Governor would be a ceremonial one and the people there will now themselves be able to take decisions  by choosing their representatives and rulers.He  said empowering the people  would enable them to  fix priorities in their budget,  use resources to their benefit  and generate  employment opportunities.

Kaira said the decision will empower the Gilgit-Baltistan Council and Assembly to make laws.The subject under which the Assembly shall now have power to make law has increased from 49 to 61 while the Council shall have 55 subjects.Regarding annual budget, he said a detailed item-wise budget shall be presented before the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly as being practiced in Pakistan and shall be accordingly voted upon as suggested in article 56.

He said that on the pattern of AJK,the Chief Judge of Supreme Appellate Court shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Council on the Advice of the Governor.The minister said the Chief Judge and Judges of the Chief Court shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Council on the advice of the Governor on the same pattern as it is being practiced in AJK.

Another step forward to empower the people of the areas, the he said is the establishment of Gilgit-Baltistan Public Service Commission and Gilgit-Baltistan Services.He said Auditor General Gilgit-Baltistan and Chief Election Commissioner will  also be appointed.While commenting over the reaction of some elements, he said that some people only indulge in criticism for the sake of criticism despite the fact that the steps taken are in the interest of the masses.