GILGIT, Jan 19: The leaders of Gilgit-Baltistan National Alliance (GBNA) has demanded the representation in the newly-formed National Kashmir Committee as they have been representing almost all the political parties of Gilgit and Baltistan.

GBNA Chairman Anayatullah Khan Shumali said the alliance appreciated President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s stand on the Kashmir issue and called upon the government to decide about the political rights of 1.5 million people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

He said that in view of the changing global scenario it was necessary to find a solution to end the political deadlock in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Mr Shumali said the GBNA would expedite its efforts to achieve these goals without harming the national interest.

He said that a delegation of GBNA would soon visit Azad Kashmir to discuss mutual and regional issues.

CRIME RATE DECLINES: The overall crime rate in the five districts of the Northern Areas declined in the year 2001 as the police had registered 1,189 cases as compared to 1,208 cases in 2000, said Northern Areas police spokesman Mubarak Jan.

He said, in the year 2001 the NA police registered 63 cases of murder, 86 attempt of murder, 26 robbery, 39 burglary, 48 theft, 142 cases under the arms act, 21 narcotics, 143 under the Hadood Ordinance and 11 rape and adultery.