GILGIT, Jan 21: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has approved the Gilgit-Baltistan governor’s summary for appointment of two judges to the region’s Supreme Appellate Court.

Local sources told Dawn on Saturday that the summary was sent to the prime minister via the Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ministry seven months ago as the two posts fell vacant after the retirement of the incumbents.

They said Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court Chief Judge Raja Jalal Khan and member Muzaffar Hussain had been elevated to the Supreme Appellate Court judges after the approval of the summary.

The sources said Chief Court member Sahib Khan had been promoted as the chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court.

They said the appointments would be notified shortly and once that happened, the judges would take oath of their offices.

NFC-LIKE BODY FOR GB: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has asked the federal finance ministry to form a new body on the pattern of National Finance Commission for Gilgit-Baltistan to resolve the region’s financial issues with the centre.

The federal and Gilgit-Baltistan governments are likely to sign an agreement in this respect soon.

This was disclosed by a Gilgit-Baltistan Council member during a meeting.

The member said the agreement in question would strengthen the financial position of the Gilgit-Baltistan government as all taxes paid indirectly by locals would return to the region and thus, ushering in a new era of development.

He said Gilgit-Baltistan didn’t fall in the NFC ambit and that funds required by the region were released by the centre as assistance.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Council member said the prime minister had also issued directions for speedy legislation on mining, border trade, forest tourism, and potential sectors in the region for better foreign and local investment.—Correspondent