NALA status Govt counsel seeks time to submit report

ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: The Islamabad High Court here Friday granted one-week time to the standing counsel of the Federation to submit a report about the proposed amendments in the legal status of Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA).

The single bench of Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam adjourned till December 5 the hearing of a writ petition filed by Syed Mohammad Ali Shah through Advocate Mohammad Ibrahim Shahid, seeking dissolution of the NALA.During the last hearing, Section Officer of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Shakil Raza had apprised the court that further amendments were being made in the rules governing the NALA.

The petitioner had apprised the court that the former government introduced a constitutional package on October 2007 which was issued by KANA division through a Notification “amendments 2007 LFO-1994” on December 15, 2007.

He said prior to these amendments, the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly was called Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) and it worked under the Ministry of Kashmir and Northern Areas.

But after the notification, its whole status has been changed, he said, adding that its members were not even allowed to legislate or authorised to make the budget.

“The erstwhile status of the Council was changed into Assembly while Deputy Chief Executive had been given the full powers of Chief Executive in violation of the rules,” he added.

He contended that members of the defunct Council should also cease to perform their duties as they could not be considered as the members of newly born NALA and their continuation in the new position was against the Constitution.

On October 23, 2007, former president Pervez Musharraf had announced new package under which the name of LFO was changed to Northern Areas Governance Ordinance (NAGO).

Northern Areas Legislative Council was given the status of Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) with powers to debate and pass its budget. The NALA has the power to legislate on 49 subjects and it was announced that all the administrative and financial powers of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas would be transferred to Northern Areas government.-APP