Gilgit-Baltistan is a part of the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Rawalkot (From Haris Shoaib)- The appointment of the newly appointed Chairman of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Hidayatur Rehman, has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has issued a notice to the parties and asked for an explanation within a week. The writ petition was filed by Haris Qadeer, a young journalist from Rawalkot, on whose behalf Syed Zulqarnain Naqvi Advocate is pursuing the case. The petitioner has taken the stand that the newly appointed Chairman PSC is not a state subject and he must be a state subject for this post. Chief Justice Raja Sadaqat remarked that to be appointed Chairman PSC, it is necessary to be a state subject, it is not necessary to be a state subject holder. The petitioner’s counsel argued that proof of being a state subject can only be given through the state subject certificate, and there is no record of the newly appointed chairman PSC with the Department of Services and General Administration. The Chief Justice has sought clarification from the parties in a week. It should be noted that Lieutenant General Retired Hidayatur Rehman has been appointed as Chairman PSC by the independent government on January 13. He belongs to Astoor district of Gilgit-Baltistan. He is the first three-star general of Gilgit-Baltistan. It should also be noted that Gilgit-Baltistan is a part of the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. However, for the past several decades, the Pakistan Citizenship Act has been implemented by suspending the state subject role from Gilgit-Baltistan. Due to which, not only the allegations of changing the demography of Gilgit-Baltistan, but also the allotment of lands to non-local people have been coming forward. Now that the state subject role does not exist in Gilgit-Baltistan, in such circumstances, the citizens of Gilgit-Baltistan have the right to buy and sell land including employment in Azad Jammu and Kashmir or not. The decision of this also has to be decided through the said case. Similarly, it will also be decided by the court whether the citizens of Gilgit-Baltistan can be called the state of Jammu and Kashmir despite the end of the state subject rule or not.
More From Daily The Destination: Inaugural Session of Rawalpindi District-level Kashmir Consultative committee held
