Gilgit - Baltistan

Mir lost the Silk Route Dry Port election battle

The Chairman with senior members of Trust cabinet

The Chairman with senior members of Trust cabinet

 By Zulfiqar Ali Khan

Hunza, October 06: The cabinet of Afsar Jan won the first ever election of Silk Route Dry Port Trust getting 77 out of 133 votes. The election was conducted under tight security arrangements to avoid clashes among the supporters of both groups.

The Civil Judge, Aliabad acted as Returning Officer. The winning cabinet is comprised of Afsar Jan, Chairman; Hoor Shah, Senior Vice Chairman and Raza Muhammad as Vice Chairman.

The former Chairman, Mir Ghazanfar had not submitted his nomination paper for contesting the election. The lawyer of Ali Afsar and his cabinet tried to convince the Judge to declare their unopposed win, while the lawyer of Mir Ghazanfar and Member District Council, Shahbaz Khan, tried their level best to postpone the election.

The civil judge after consultation with judges of Chief Court, Gilgit, finally decided to conduct the election according to schedule. About 20 trustees supporting Ghazanfar were also present outside the court but they did not poll their votes.  

A small gathering was also organized after the election polling stopped, near the petrol pump, in Aliabad. Hoor shah, Ali Afsar, Sultan Madad, convener dry port reconciliation comittee, Advocate Ahsan , and Baba jan, Chief organizer of Progressive Youth Front, spoke to the audince and appreciated the trust that shareholders and land owners had shown by helping them win the election. Hoor Shah promised that full benefits will be provided to the trustees. Sultan Madad, refering to a decision of the arbitration committee, said that their decion was also to hold fresh elections but Ghazanfar went to the court.  Baba Jan invited all the people of Hunza to unite for development of Hunza, learning from experiences at the dry port.  

The newly elected Chairman of the port trust, Ali Afsar, thanked the stakeholders for expression of confidence and promised to include the names of all shareholders in port deed and ensure merit in management recruitments.

An important observation during the polling was absence of the ‘highly educated’ shareholders. Elders of the region expressed their dissatisfaction with leadership of Ghazanfar Ali Khan, a good changed, according to some.

People believe that Mir Ghazanfar and his supporters saw the writing on the wall and, thus, avoided contesting the election. He even tried to postpon the election by filing a petition in the Chief Court, seeking six months delay in the election. Shehbaz Khan was seen convincing trustees to vote for Ghazanfar but he himself did not vote, like rest of the supporters of Mir Ghazanfar. There are reports that four trustees from Gulmit received threats for ‘consequences’ from certain people. Objections were also raised at the presence of PT volunteers at the polling station.

Men and women from Aliabad presented floral garlands to the newly elected leaders and congratulated them on their victory.

According to latest updates, some unknown persons have pelted stones on the vans carrying people back to Sost after the election is overed. The side glasses of 2 vans are reported damaged as a result.  The new cabinet has also received warm receptions at Sost and Nazimabad. Ealier, the procession was also offered tea at Gulmit.  

Related Articles

35 Comments

  1. A pre test for next election and the future of Ghazanfer is now clear in the very important valley-Hunza. Congratulations to the WINNERS and lets expect a different approach in the SRDPT and Port with professionalism and unity.

    People of the northern areas looking for good leadership, economic opportunities for all and transparency.

  2. Waw…. Congratulations to the elected management of SDP…….. People of the area are expecting progressive results from new management and we hope that this management will perform well as they have learnt allot from the past managment activities. There should be no compromise on quality and fair management, deserving associates should avail the opportunity of employement and collectively all should work to develop the area which is requirment of current era.

    Rahim
    Almaty Kazakhstan

  3. cong to all the members of newly elected members of Afsar Shah’s cabinte, hope good leadership will be provided to the people of Hunza and North

  4. Congratulations to the People of Hunza. It is your day! Celebrate it with full zeal, now the actual responsibility of new chairmen is on track. Let’s have a new beginning with unity, transparency and accountability. our expectations mounted more then enough, the first hope is that someone should try to bring unity among brothers, relatives, villages and entire Hunza, who suffered during this SDP battle.

    All our prayers with you.

    Javed Aly
    TJK

  5. Congratulations! the People of Bom-e-dunya/Kunjudh. eventually, in the fair election of SDPT, you people got the honour you’re desired for.
    Congrats goes to the winner team who are from the common people of Hunza. You did well. The new elected management of SDPT must care about the poor shareholders and other stakeholders, provide job oppurtunities to the people of Northern Areas, keep transperancy in finance, call a general body meeting and tell people what Ghazan and his companion did in the previous years, etc
    I would say, it is the result for the next coming NALC election 2008. The people of Hunza now want a CHANGE in political system too and must be given CHANCE to the young leadership.
    My all prayers are with the new management with the hope that they will do something good in favour of the poor stakeholders of the area.

    With kind regards,

    Avgarchick

  6. Heartiest congrates to the winners of DryPort Election, its the time to change. Past is gone now, we want new faces. Fedup with the routine faces.
    wish you much success in future.

  7. Congratulation ;To Ali Afser and his colleague for their victory in SRDPT election.It is the victory of the people of Northern Areas as a whole and Hunza-Gojal in particular.It is challenging moment for new Board of Trustees to streamline the system of SRDPT and Pak China Port Company but the new Board of Trustees are capable to cope with the challenges.It is suggested that the new cabnet will work hard,decisions should be taken on merit and transparancy should be kept in all financial and physical matter.BEST OF LUCK

  8. Wow welldone!!!!!!!!! The cabinet of Silk Route Dry Port Trust getting 77 out of 133 votes.
    “I congratulate to Afsar on his victories today. He’s been running an outstanding race. But this fall we owe the Gojal to Hunza people a real choice. “We have to choose between our future and our past.”
    Well, I’m not sure what Ghazanfar plane to face the peoples.infrant of me this is the time to understand the majority voices’
    I especially thanks to the youth of goal to hunza who give them guide line to get there rights,also salute to prime news net who educate the young youth give them real news update.
    Regards
    Rumi
    AKU

  9. Congratulations to the new management. Let’s start a new day with a clear vision of the future. Let us strengthen a corporate culture for all future business ventures.

    It is not an easy task but not an impossible one, you only have to chose right people for the right jobs and devise a transparent control system to monitor affairs of the business.

    It is very important to rebuild the confidence of all the stake-holders which was shaken by the last management.

    I wish the new management good luck and courage

    Sher Karim

  10. Gurzer giya ghazan and khizan ab khushali ka musum agiyaa
    guzer giya mir, shazada oor raja ab awam ko junun agiyaa

    behut hogiya acho acho, bap or chap, ilban or ashar
    ab apne dayre me raho, ab awam ka raaj cha giyaa

    Congratulation to eleced membars and hope for the batter future of SDP and Hunza-Gojal. Great PT team for your report and convrage on this issue always apricatble. Thanks

    Musofer hon mager watan ki muhabbat se mamoor hon
    Khush hon ki phir se jo nazam musalaat howa ta najat milgiyaaaa

    Ali Rehmat Musofer
    East-Timor

  11. At last the people of Hunza showed unity here by voting to the representative of AWAM i.e. Ali Afsar and team.

    I request the team of Ali Afsar to please work only in the interest of the people of Hunza. Transparency and accountability are very important. Be fair in your management decisions.

    Thank you

  12. Many many congratulations to the newly elected body.
    I hope that this team will come up with huge differences and would change the traditional pattern by recruiting more credible and target oriented people.
    The time demands more competant people to get into the stream of every field so that mega changes are brought about in the very interest of the people of the region.
    I know Ustad Mohtaram Raza Muhammad Sahab, who is very committed and devoted.I hope that the other elected individuals would be of the same category.
    We need to change the concept of bowing down before others just because our ancestors were governed by for centuries. Keeping the spirits of equality in mind we should have to move abreast.
    Many many congratulations to each and every one.
    Regards
    Aslam Ghalib
    Islamabad

  13. first of all i will congratulate the new cabinet to win its election that held at hunza getting 77 votes out of 133. now i think it is clear that ghazanfar and his party has no role at dry port.
    now we are expecting good fare transparent role should be provided by the new cabnet.
    i again thank our supporter who supported at all time to win the election and we hope a good future of SRDPT.

  14. Congrats 2 the winners and loser -they should accept it???
    the actual challange for the elected members actually started now as narrated in their comments some of our learned friends. What are the immediate things need to address???
    Lesson to learn from the previous history???
    Trust on the strenth of the people.
    in my openion,
    The new cabnit should come a very clear out line, planning at least for a year. A complete list of strategies& goals should be highlighted with in a month or two.
    The targets should be made in this way that, it should be measureable and achieveable. If possible circulate that on this net site that inputs can be forwarded looking it in the exact prospect of the area and cultural noms and in a broder aspects of the country national and international.
    Some of the people should be absorb in as resource personslooking their education, experiences and considering other backgrounds.
    if required we can open the vista to other Districts of Northern Areas and other such Dry Ports to the nighbour countries. Sugesstion should be forwarded to the concern high-ups in the present Govt.
    At last, to make the things very clear the new management should call a General Boady Meeting, in consences of the Local Govt. looking the bye-laws of the trust.
    Past and present accounts and individuals should be circulated on media to make the things more transpearent & clear.
    Complete Records of the past, and individual works of the office bears should be highlight.

    in conclusions” always trust on the strength of the people” and accept the diversity.

  15. First of all, it is not a matter of the entire community of Gojal or Hunza, it is just a battle between two group, one being headed by Ghazanfar and his family who took full control over the port for the past many years,, and now any group takes overt… my question is why are the general community of entire region being dragged into this??

    Whether it is the first party or second,, the ultimate benefits goes to them, and not to the general public..,,,

    Gulzar

  16. Many Many Congratulations to all the newly elected members of new managment of SDPT and also congratulations to the shareholders and people of Hunza who participated and supported in favor of new managment, REALLY THEY DONE IT, Now its the responsilbility of new managment to cary on keeping the expectations of the stakeholders of the area. and they must shakehand with the opposition members also, Although there are many difficult issues to solve regarding the trust and dry port, but the new managment have capacity to solve the issues with there professional understanding.

    Best Regards
    Ali Asghar

  17. Dear friends allover the world it is indeed a good news that we succeeded in achieving the rights of the innocent stakeholders of SDP. I congratulate all of you specially, Ali Afsair and his expert team members from Hunza And Gojal.
    (Saleem, Aman Shah, Shabaz And Ghazni you are nothing in front of me. Do or Die is my slogan and i feel that i achieved my mission )
    for my HERO’S WELL DONE
    Hero of my political, economical ,social and global zed world.

    A hero thinks of others before they think of themselves
    A hero will die to protect
    A hero can be of any age, any color
    A hero can be man, woman or child
    A hero is courageous, loving and brave
    A hero will never complain
    A hero can be made in one act of compassion
    Or years of tender loving care
    Some hero’s are remembered, whilst many are left forgotten
    Hero’s are angels in disguise, saving precious innocent lives

  18. Winning election is first step.more challenges still ahead regarding proper ducumantation,rights of land owners,share holders and agreement with chinies Company.What is the status of joint venture company .
    these are the challenges wihich new management have to handle with community and corporate exprerties.

    Congratulation to New management with request to work for community with out personal interest.

    Thanks and wish you all the best.

    Israr Ahmed

  19. Dunya Jisay Kehtay Hain Jadoo Ka Khilona Hai
    Mil Jaye To Mitti Hai Kho Jaye To Sona Hai

    Dear All
    We Got the throne,we got the trust, we got the support, we got the strength, to some extent we have succeeded now. A dream has turned to the reality,a barrier has been put aside. We achieved what we did not have,this was golden chance,it must remain a golden peroid. so congratulations……………………….
    YES all know this and repetition of these words by a new make up is not enough……… The people of Hunza and Gojal must keep check and balance from the start on the administrative executives……Always welcoming spoils people and makes them think low about people(well wishers). There must be a strong grip to stop a chance of stepping off from the track. It doesn’t means that we have no trust in the new cabinet but the people of Hunza and Gojal are deceived so much in the past that cabinets become suspicious even if our blood relative is a part of it.
    it is the time to mark a new history.
    AMJAD ALI (AAJ TV)

  20. ..heartiest congrates to the winners..

    …HOPE z the only medicare to servive n this competent n brutal life..again being tradional,we hope from the elected representatives to work with honest for the ECONOMIC,SOCIAL,EDUCATIONAL N HEALTH f the local areas…..

  21. Congrates ! your hard work nd your dream completed but remember whtever ure doing iz nt just to show tht ur the winner you need to show whts the trruth ….SO, PLZZZ MAKE SURE THT BE PRACTICL WHTEVER YOU DO…..As the runner team showd dnt look only the negative points JUST have a look of the posetivs TOO may be they have …

  22. Congratulations to all the winning members of Dry Port, the new management must learn from the weaknesses of the previous one, should take all the stake holders on board and move ahead for the prosperity and development of the region. we hope that the new Management would keep good relations with our Chinese partners and reconciliationary attitude with the previous management in order to promote peace and cordial environment.

    Regards

    Shah Zaman
    Rawalpindi

  23. There is no success without sacrifice. Great success always calls for great sacrifice just like the struggle and sacrifice of the people of Hunza, who finally succeeded in snatching their right in a soft manner from the so called mir Ghazanfer and his cults. The struggling team kept their values on target and so now when they have “arrived”, the public has pride in their efforts and struggles for success. I hope the people will never settle for less than success and carry this zeal and zest along and beat this miscreant family and his cults on every ground as an avenge for suppressing the people of Hunza for centuries. Success is never ending, because success is like the process of seed planting. Every creative contribution like a seed planted may bear fruit. Success finally is not what you have, it is not what you do; it is who you are, and what you want for the people. Threats will never discourage the people. Today’s world has escaped from the world of the past where one man’s foot used to be on another man’s neck. A bundle of congratulations to the new management of the dry port.

  24. Congratulations to the new cabinet of Sost Dry Port. This is a victory not only of the new cabinet but indeed it is a victory of justice over oppression and darkness. We must also congratulate the Civil Judge in Aiabad, the Returning Officer and other members of the judiciary in Hunza who have upheld the rule of law in a land otherwise known for lack of a rule-based political setup. By not bowing to the pressure of either party in holding elections or temper with the outcomes of the wishes of the people of Hunza the members of the judiciary must be praised in the best of the words.

    The people of Hunza and other stakeholders of the Dry Port Trust have now elected a new cabinet. This new cabinet carries alot of responsibilities and i hope they will live up to the expectations of the people of Hunza. We hope that the new cabinet will immediately take steps to ensure a fair and just recruitment system based on merit, competence and quality. We also hope that the new cabinet will seek to purge the Dry Port with the remnants of the past whose sole objective was to exploit the economic opportunities available at the Port for their personal and selfish purposes.

  25. Ist of all my Heartiest Congratulations to newly elected cabnet of SRDPT,shareholder,stakeholder and all the people of Hunza for victory in the election.

    I hope the newly elected cabnet will perform their duties honestly for the development of SRDPT and the region and will keep good releation with Chinese parteners too.

    Kabir Barcha

    Karachi

  26. Congratulations to the new management. I am hopeful that the new management will promote a culture of transparency and accontabality in the system. This new team is expected to demonstrate a pro- member friendly system so that a benchmark is established for future.

    I hope that SRDPT will build the confidence of shareholders!
    Mulla Wali Islamabad

  27. My absolute solute to Pamir times for the great dissmination of very facts of the region ,mobilising Youths and updating them from time to time and uniting people of the Hunza/Gojal for new turn in the history. i really appreciate the peoples maturity and prompt reaction to get ride of the retard,rusted culture of subserviency and removing the monarchy tradition. the effective reaction from the people is a complete portrayal that the people are realy educated and now very much mature then other part of our dear country,the dwellers can distinguesh between the to side of the a coin, and this a way of realization of ones fortitude, success and maping plausible way for the youths better future.enunciating culture of unity,accountability, fairness and valaing every ones existency in the society.
    My deep and Sincere congratulations to the New management, and wish them a fari play in the dealings!
    Good Luck!!

  28. Many many congratulations to newly elected Cabinet!
    I hope that the new cabinet will unlike the previous one be sincere in their job and let us all hope that they do not let us down
    Best of Luck
    Nadeem Gul
    Topi

  29. TOMMOROW NEVER DIES:
    LISTEN GHAZANI, we are united and we are one. we can do whatever we want.

  30. its is indeed the collobortion of ur restless efforts and love for our team of SRDP that today we won our mission. i herbery thanks the owner of pamir times and to all those who send there messeges of congrats to the managment of SRDP. thanks for ur collaboration and cooperation.

    yours
    alam jan gojlai
    public relation officer silk route dry port trust sost

  31. First of all ma heartiest congratulations to the winning party. Ofcourse no athority is no powerful and durable than the the decision of democracy.
    But i would like to draw ur attention of everybody to remember that , there have been cases of embezellment and drainage to (unknown places )of shares ,peviously by the port athorities even before the tenure of Mir Ghazanfar.More or less the same players who now again have entered into the power.
    Is it the same dirty game being played once again!!!!?

  32. It is nice to know that Mr. Aly Afsar has finally settled the salmate of dry posrt issue.

    Congrtulation my dear Aly Afsar and contininue your work with a vision to serve the nationa at large. Please remember, it is the first step towards your bright future as well as for the futre of the region.

    Congratulations once again:

  33. I offer my warm and heartiest congratulations to Mr Afsar, my dear Hoor Shah and Kako Raza on the occasion of their success in the elections. In my humble opinion entities made for the benefit of the people cannot be long enslaved for personal benefits as practiced in the past. Fundamental principle of establishing such organisations should be provision of services to the margenalised and this can be achieved by observing honesty and meritocracy. I hope that new portfolio holders would celeberate their success not with the idea of revenge but a sense of passion, enthusiasm and resiliance to serve the people our beloved homeland . I wish you all success in your endeavours and hope that such a good entity will be used for the benefit of our people without making it a political tool.
    S. U Baig
    London

  34. Many Many congratulations

    Hope the new cabinet will prove himself loyal to the community. And work for the common interest. It is indeed a positive change.

    Jak
    Lahore

Back to top button