GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly on Thursday demanded of the federal government through a unanimous resolution to declare people of the region constitutional citizens of the country.

The members of opposition and treasury benches that issuance of any order to govern the region would not be accepted. They demanded of the government declare the region as constitutional part of the country or award autonomy to it under the United Nations resolutions.

The session of assembly was held in the new hall in Gilgit on Thursday with Speaker Fida Nashad in the chair.

PPP member Javed Hussain tabled a resolution, saying people of GilgitBaltistan got liberation from Dogra Raj and annexed the region into Pakistan. `Now people of the regionare citizens of Pakistan, therefore, they should be declared constitutional citizens of the country,` he added.

He said that federal government was to promulgate Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2020 to govern the region. `It is injustice with GB people to govern them through orders,` he said.

Mr Hussain said that GB people should be given the status of full citizens of the country or they should be given all rights as residents of a disputed territory under United Nations resolutions on theissue.

Minster Dr Iqbal said that for the last72 years, demands of GB peoplecould not be met. `It is violation of human rights as people living in Pakistan forseven decades are not given the right of vote to choose members of parliament,` he added.

He lamented that GB had not representation in National Assembly or Senate. He said that the proposed Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2020 would be opposed and protest march would be held from GB to Islamabad if any order was imposed forcefully without consent oflocalpeople.

Leader of Opposition Mohammad Shafi Khan, Senior Minister Akbar Taban, PPP member Imran Nadeem Shigri, BNF member Nawaz Naji also took part in the debate.Correspondent