Pakistan's top civil and military leaders have decided to give greater administrative and financial authority to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, the region through which the controversial $ 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes.

During a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) - the top civil and military body - Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit-Baltistan, on Saturday briefed the Committee on the PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan reform proposals, an official statement said.

The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reviewed these proposals and after detailed deliberations a consensus was reached on the "devolution of greater administrative authority and financial powers" to the PoK government and the Gilgit-Baltistan government, according to the statement.

The details of administrative and financial reform have not been shared so far.

However, there was also consensus over retention of the PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan Councils as advisory bodies and the grant of a five-year tax holiday to Gilgit-Baltistan so as to create adequate incentives for the development of the region and bring it at par with the other areas of Pakistan.

Gilgit-Baltistan is treated as a separate geographical entity by Pakistan. Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh are four provinces of Pakistan.

India has termed as "entirely unacceptable" any possible attempt by Pakistan to declare the Gilgit-Baltistan region, bordering the disputed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as the fifth province. India has protested to China over the CPEC which goes through Gilgit-Baltistan region.

It is believed that China's concerns about the unsettled status of Gilgit-Baltistan prompted Pakistan to change its status.

Earlier media reports had said that Pakistan plans to elevate the constitutional status of the region to provide legal cover to the CPEC.

The NSC also endorsed that FATA shall be merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along with the introduction of the administrative and judicial institutional structures and laws of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the statement said.

The Committee directed the concerned ministries to work out the constitutional, legal and administrative modalities for the merger in consultation with all parties in the Parliament.

The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Defence & Foreign Affairs Khurram Dastgir Khan, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval and Air forces, ISI chief and other senior civil and military officials

Pakistan's top civil and military leaders have decided to give greater administrative and financial authority to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, the region through which the controversial $ 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes

Pakistan's top civil and military leaders have decided to give greater administrative and financial authority to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, the region through which the controversial $ 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes. During a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) - the top civil and military body - Sartaj Aziz, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit-Baltistan, on Saturday briefed the Committee on the PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan reform proposals, an official statement said. The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reviewed these proposals and after detailed deliberations a consensus was reached on the "devolution of greater administrative authority and financial powers" to the PoK government and the Gilgit-Baltistan government, according to the statement. The details of administrative and financial reform have not been shared so far. However, there was also consensus over retention of the PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan Councils as advisory bodies and the grant of a five-year tax holiday to Gilgit-Baltistan so as to create adequate incentives for the development of the region and bring it at par with the other areas of Pakistan. Gilgit-Baltistan is treated as a separate geographical entity by Pakistan. Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh are four provinces of Pakistan. India has termed as "entirely unacceptable" any possible attempt by Pakistan to declare the Gilgit-Baltistan region, bordering the disputed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as the fifth province. India has protested to China over the CPEC which goes through Gilgit-Baltistan region. It is believed that China's concerns about the unsettled status of Gilgit-Baltistan prompted Pakistan to change its status. Earlier media reports had said that Pakistan plans to elevate the constitutional status of the region to provide legal cover to the CPEC. The NSC also endorsed that FATA shall be merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along with the introduction of the administrative and judicial institutional structures and laws of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the statement said. The Committee directed the concerned ministries to work out the constitutional, legal and administrative modalities for the merger in consultation with all parties in the Parliament. The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Defence & Foreign Affairs Khurram Dastgir Khan, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval and Air forces, ISI chief and other senior civil and military officials

Pak to give greater administrative and financial authority to PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will lead the Pakistani delegation at the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in London from April 18-20.

During his stay in London, the Prime Minister will also call on the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the British leadership.

"It will also provide an opportunity to meet other Commonwealth leaders and exchange views on matters of mutual interest," Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.

The prime minister will participate in all executive and retreat sessions as well as a number of events being held on the sidelines of the CHOGM.

The main theme of the conference is 'Towards a Common Future', FO said.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will lead the Pakistani delegation at the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in London from April 18-20

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will lead the Pakistani delegation at the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in London from April 18-20. During his stay in London, the Prime Minister will also call on the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the British leadership. "It will also provide an opportunity to meet other Commonwealth leaders and exchange views on matters of mutual interest," Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement. The prime minister will participate in all executive and retreat sessions as well as a number of events being held on the sidelines of the CHOGM. The main theme of the conference is 'Towards a Common Future', FO said.

PM Abbasi to lead Pak delegation at CHOGM summit

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on &nbsp;Monday urged the international community to play its due role in resolving the Kashmir issue with India.

&quot;It is incumbent upon the international community to play its role in the resolution of the regional conflicts, particularly the Kashmir dispute in conformity with the UN Resolutions on the subject with a view to ensuring durable peace in the region,&quot; Abbasi said in his address to the nation on the occasion of Pakistan&#39;s 70th Independence Day.

He said Pakistan desires to have positive and constructive relations with all countries of the world, especially with its neighbours on the basis of sovereign equality.

&quot;The people of South Asia have suffered enormously in the last fifty years due to the festering conflicts. Until and unless those conflicts are resolved amicably, the people of the region cannot achieve prosperity and progress,&quot; he added.

Praising the freedom fighters of the country, Abbasi said, &quot;We are greatly indebted to our ancestors for their sacrifices and we can repay that debt only by making Pakistan a free and independent country.&quot;

He noted that the recent transition of power through a democratic process was quintessential of the accelerated strengthening of democratic values in the country.

Abbasi stressed on strengthening and reinforcing the state institutions so that they can play their prescribed role within the limits of law and the constitution.

Asserting that a strong economy can ensure a strong defence, Abbasi said a moderate society guarantees stability of the state, where people enjoy all their fundamental rights and national resources are equitably and judicious distributed.

Pakistan was created out of a partitioned Indian subcontinent on August 14, 1947.

It came into existence as a result of the Pakistan Movement which aimed for the creation of a separate Muslim state by partition of the north-western and north-eastern regions of undivided India.

The movement was led by the All-India Muslim League under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

This was facilitated by the British parliament passing the Indian Independence Act 1947, thereby giving recognition to Pakistan.

Abbasi said that Pakistan desires to have constructive relations with all countries especially neighbours

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday urged the international community to play its due role in resolving the Kashmir issue with India. "It is incumbent upon the international community to play its role in the resolution of the regional conflicts, particularly the Kashmir dispute in conformity with the UN Resolutions on the subject with a view to ensuring durable peace in the region," Abbasi said in his address to the nation on the occasion of Pakistan's 70th Independence Day. He said Pakistan desires to have positive and constructive relations with all countries of the world, especially with its neighbours on the basis of sovereign equality. "The people of South Asia have suffered enormously in the last fifty years due to the festering conflicts. Until and unless those conflicts are resolved amicably, the people of the region cannot achieve prosperity and progress," he added. Praising the freedom fighters of the country, Abbasi said, "We are greatly indebted to our ancestors for their sacrifices and we can repay that debt only by making Pakistan a free and independent country." He noted that the recent transition of power through a democratic process was quintessential of the accelerated strengthening of democratic values in the country. Abbasi stressed on strengthening and reinforcing the state institutions so that they can play their prescribed role within the limits of law and the constitution. Asserting that a strong economy can ensure a strong defence, Abbasi said a moderate society guarantees stability of the state, where people enjoy all their fundamental rights and national resources are equitably and judicious distributed. Pakistan was created out of a partitioned Indian subcontinent on August 14, 1947. It came into existence as a result of the Pakistan Movement which aimed for the creation of a separate Muslim state by partition of the north-western and north-eastern regions of undivided India. The movement was led by the All-India Muslim League under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This was facilitated by the British parliament passing the Indian Independence Act 1947, thereby giving recognition to Pakistan.

On Pak's Independence Day, PM Abbasi urges international community 'to resolve Kashmir issue'