Kaira to be sworn in as NAs chairman today
By Ibrahim Shahid
GILGIT: Newly appointed Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA) Chaudhry Qamar Zaman Kaira will take oath as the chairman of the Northern Areas (NAs) on Tuesday (today), sources told Daily Times on Monday.
They said that NAs Supreme Appellate Court Chief Judge Qazi Ehsanullah Qureshi would administer the oath, and that all arrangements had been finalised in this regard. The oath-taking ceremony will be held in the Legislative Assembly Hall at Chinar Bagh, Gilgit, they added.
Kaira would be the second chairman of the NAs after reforms were introduced in the region by President Pervez Musharraf in October last year. Former caretaker KANA minister Abbas Sarfraz took oath as the first NAs chairman in January.Northern Areas Legislative Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Miskeen also summoned the assembly’s session for Tuesday and the new chairman would address the assembly members.The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would jointly welcome the federal minister at the Gilgit airport. The two parties have formulated a 16-point charter of demands, which seeks a constitutional status for the NAs and enforcement of an interim constitution in NAs similar to Azad Kashmir.
The people of the Northern Areas have no representation in the country’s parliament, besides having no access to the constitutional courts of Pakistan to claim their fundamental rights. An interim constitutional act presented by PPP NAs President Syed Jaffar Shah in 2003 is pending in the Legislative Assembly.
Who is Chaudary Qamar Zaman Kaira? I have never heard that Chaudaryies and Kairas have ever lived or are currently living either in Giligit, Skardu, or Ghizer or any part of Giligt-Baltistan. So what he has got to do with Northern Areas. On what grounds does he covet this high-office? Who has appointed him and why? When will these Pakistani viceroys stop directing the affairs of Giligit-Baltistan. It is totally outrageous that a person for whom the people of Giligti-Baltistan have never voted should occupy our highest office. This is a simple mockery of democracy; this is also abuse of basic human-rights enjoyed by all free people of the world. A person who doesn’t know the problems faced by us, a person who cannot appreciate our culture and our values, above all a person who has no any genuine commitment and interest in our day-to-day life should become our master. It is high time that our people should now seriously ponder that our fundamental constitutional rights have been seriously violated and ridiculed for the last half a century. What mistakes or sins our people have committed that we are kept in so much suppression and darkness.
Best regards
Ali Al-Hakim
KHUDA NAY AAJ TAK US QOOM KI HALAT NAHIN BADLI
NA HO JIS KO KHAYAL AAP APNI HALAT KAY BADALNAY KA.
we have realised these things in recent some years. though there are many indivsuals and organisations who have raised their voices against the confused governing system. “confused” because we are still lacking in defining the position of NAs and the way we have to go on is also confused.
The people of northern areas are still scaterred in divisions of linguistics, races, religions,regions and many others. There might be some influential people or agencies who are doing all this to keep us broken but untill and unless the people of northern areas will not get united as a single body it is quite difficult to demand our own leadership.
AMJAD
AAJ TV
Mr Qamar Zaman! Welcome to the externally imposed toponym, “The Northern Areas of Pakistan”, which the natives of the region deserved the right to be called “Kuhimir” (Mountain Leader of the world governed by the Karakoram, Himalayas, Hindukush & Pamir).
Mr Qarmar Zaman! May I ask that what could be the purpose of and logic behind taking oath as Chairman of the so-called NALA (truely emanating the meaning of “cyring and begging for help from suppression” in Urdu)? Are you coming to help the frustrated and suppressed people of the Kuhmir or coming to further suppress these internally diverse but externally marginalised and most neglected communities? When are you oligarches stopping further marginalizing & supressing these honest and sincere communities? Is it a sin to be honest and sincere? Your president, General Musharraf as well as others make their mouths thirsty by repeating time and again that Pakistan is located at a geostrategic location in South Asia, where is that location? Is it only your NWFP or Balochistan, Sindh or Piunjab? No, it is the Kuhimir that plays its vital role in connecting Pakistan with China, Pakistan with the Pamir-e Khurd of Afghanistan, Pakistan with India (in the sensitive region). Second, how much Kuhimir contributes to the economy of the country? Imagine from the tourism to the Indus River, from the Ports to the minerals and transportation etc. But why the responslbe people in the government are still insane? Either they are insane or brutall that is why they don’t care, isn’t?
For God sake Mr Qamar Zaman, our externally imposed minister! We have high expecation in practical terms from you. If you are inded the moon of the time (Qamar e Zaman), you’ll realize the grave situation encountered for six decades by the inocent communiites of Kuhimir. Please help them out in gaining their genuine and just demand: the constitutional rights along with other rights ensured by the UN but neglected by the country heads.
In the recent election, the citizens of Pakistan proudly casted their votes (as you are part of that); but our helpless people tried to consol themsleves only by watching the TV channles; and later on having their comments on the defeat and triumph of the candiates. For how long should the people stay in this manner? If you people claim to be human, please fee adn realize the genuine issues of the humans at leas on humanitarian grounds and stop violating the fundamental human rights.
God bless you with good faith, intention and wisdom to serve better the peoples of Kuhmir and envision you to realize the consequences of lava, if not addressed timely.
All the best
I don’t think challenging the Minister, his personality, his intentions or his background or on the other hand requesting him to take some urgent steps towards improving the economic, security and political stock of the area is not going to make much difference.
It is important that the people of the area realize their precarious situation and should have an understanding of their political standing. Only after that the government in Pakistan can be pressed into changing its stance (status quo regarding the political nature and future of the area).
Until then rest assured no minister however honest and committed is going to make no difference. Of course we know how well located is our area strategically but what are we doing to make it count. Nothing.
congratulation !!! Mr Qamar Zaman! Welcome for God gifted position but one thing i want to mention here that kindly keep eye on our region and use your postion for the develpment of north instead of family care 🙂 we are fad up from previous experiences
hope you fallow my points