GILGIT: Chairman of the Senate`s Special Committee on ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor project Senator Taj Haider on Friday said all the 10 members of the committee belonging to various political parties supported making Gilgit-Baltistan as the fifth province of Pakistan.

How we can keep an important region out of the mainstream, he said, adding `If anyone fears about implications of granting provincial status to GB at the international level, his/her misgivings can be also solved.` He was addressing a press conference at the Gilgit airport before leaving for Islamabad at the end of a four-day visit to the region.

He said GB people should have the same constitutional rights enjoyed by people of other parts of the country. The committee consulted the people of GB over execution of the CPEC project.Other members include Sirajul Haq, Nauman Wazir Khattak, Karim Ahmed Khawaja, Chaudhry Tanvir Khan, Nehal Hashmi, Kamil Ali Agha, Mohammad Ateeq, Mohammad Usman Kakar and Mohammad Daud Khan.

The committee held consultations with various political parties and other stakeholders in the region.

Taj Haider warned that if GB people`s rights were not protected in CPEC, than security issues could emerge in the region. He said feeling of alienation existed among the people for not being provided constitutional rights and representation in the parliament of Pakistan. The region has been neglected in financial matters despite having vast potential in hydropower generation, he underscored.

The PPP leader announced to table resolutions in the Senate regardingGB issues like promotion of tourism, and exploiting hydel potential to improve the local economy.

On the occasion, Senator Karim Ahmed Khawaja expressed dismay over the attitude of GB governor, chief minister and chief secretary, who, he said, did not meet the senators during the visit. `From chief secretary`s attitude it seems he is not concerned about people`s issues. We would table motion in the Senate against chief secretary`s behaviour, he said.

He said the committee would recommend that Ghizer-Tajikistan road and Ghizer-Chitral road should be included in the CPEC project.

Senator Usman Kakar said the committee was trying to make CPEC project as Gawadar-Kashgar corridor instead of what he alleged China-Punjab economic corridor.-Jamil Nagri