“We are not part of the protests”, Shia Ulema Council delegation tells minister
Islamabad, April 23: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan has said that Religious Scholars from Gilgit-Baltistan should come forward to guide the government in order to resolve the issue of wheat subsidy crisis so that an early solution of the crisis should be sought. “We have pledged welfare of the people of the Gilgit-Baltistan”, He Said, “Our government will soon start mega projects in GB which would revolutionize the very fate of the people”. He was talking to a delegation of Shia Ulema Council led by Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi, who is the Central Secretary General of Shia Ulema Council Pakistan hailing from Punjab. He was accompanied by scholars from Gilgit-Baltistan.
Federal Minister said that their government accorded a very high priority to the well-being of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Development of Pakistan is linked with the development of Gilgit-Baltistan, he added. He apprised the religious scholars that rumors of withdrawl of subsidy on wheat were baseless and misleading. Federal Government did not withdraw subsidy on wheat. This is why the current price of wheat in GB was Rs. 14/kg as against Rs.51/kg in wheat growing Punjab. Had there been no subsidy, the prices could have gone much higher than Punjab.
Shia Ulema Council told the Minister that they were not involved in protests. They also mentioned some of the mischievous elements present in Action Committee who wanted to stretch the matter for political mileage. Shia Ulema Council assured their full support in order to resolve the crisis. Federal Minister also invited the Ulema to attend the meeting of the Committee Constituted to seek a solution of the problem. Meeting of the committee will be held tomorrow under the chairmanship of Ch Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan.
