G-B cabinet split on leasing rest houses, land to army-owned firm

GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan cabinet is divided over the lease of public guest houses and forest land to the army-owned private firm Green Tourism Company.

The controversy has divided the Gilgit-Baltistan cabinet and sparked a strong outcry from the opposition, stakeholders, and civil society. The public’s reaction has led to significant debate among the cabinet members.

Upon returning from his visit to the United Kingdom, G-B Minister Education Ghulam Shehzad Agha, during a cabinet meeting, emphasised that the City Park, rest houses, and other lands are public properties.

Agha stated that leasing these assets to Green Tourism Company without addressing public concerns was unjust and called for an immediate halt to implementing such decisions.

Minister Agha, stressing the importance of public involvement, emphasised the role of Green Pakistan, stating that they need to address the concerns of the Gilgit-Baltistan populace comprehensively before proceeding with any agreements. He urged Clean and Green Pakistan to engage all stakeholders in discussions to find a sustainable solution regarding the land and rest houses.

Agha firmly stated that any unilateral decision would be unacceptable until all stakeholders, including the public, were taken into confidence.

Explicitly addressing the situation in Skardu, Agha declared that no rest houses or lands would be sold. He insisted that these agreements be made public to alleviate the fears and concerns of the residents.

The majority of the treasury members did not attend a pre-budget assembly session where the issue was strongly opposed by the opposition and Home Minister Shams Lone.

Also read: Outcry over G-B govt’s cut-rate leasing of rest houses, forests

G-B Assembly Speaker Nazir Ahmed was dismayed over the absence of treasury members. Home Minister Lone reiterated that they were open to leasing rest houses, but they are not prepared to give an inch of land beyond that. He revealed that attempts were made to transfer 24 acres (192 kanals) of land in Rama, Astore, to the forest department, which he ‘successfully’ thwarted.

Lone emphasized that every inch of land in areas like Minimarg, Hochlam and Deosai belongs to the public, and the government will stand with the people against any attempts to encroach on even a single marla of land.

He called for transparency regarding the management of Green Tourism Company, urging the general manager or MD to come forward to clarify who is behind the company.

Tourism and Food Minister Ghulam Muhammad clarified that the Gilgit-Baltistan government has not entered into any secret or disadvantageous agreements, stating that the agreement pertains only to rest houses and not the land. He explained that the land provided is limited to small parcels accompanying the rest house buildings.

Ghulam Muhammad claimed that the memorandum of understanding signed with Green Tourism Company would create new employment opportunities and attract investment to boost tourism, addressing the opposition’s concerns. He further noted that Green Tourism Company, although a private entity, is wholly owned by the government.

Opposition members Javed Ali Manwa, Syed Sohail Abbas, Raja Zakariya, Obaidullah Baig, and Kulsoom Farman, in a joint press conference, questioned the chief minister’s claims that the forest land was included in the agreement by a secretary or a clerk.

They demanded a judicial inquiry against the secretary involved, emphasizing the need for public and stakeholder consultation before making decisions. They criticized the varying statements from the governor, chief minister, ministers, and spokespersons regarding Green Tourism, which have fueled public doubts.

They stressed that sensitive issues like wheat and land should involve public and stakeholder consultation before making decisions, thereby making them feel included and important in the decision-making process.

Syed Sohail Abbas stated that the chief minister’s remarks validated his stance that decisions are made elsewhere, not by the chief minister. He noted that the land bill’s drafting was completed during the PTI government, but regime change occurred.

Gilgit-Baltistan Planning Minister Raja Nasir Ali Khan on Friday said that in view of public concerns, the government withdrew the land lease agreement with the Green Tourism Company, after which only rest houses would be outsourced.

Meanwhile, according to a statement circulating on social media, the Green Tourism Company has announced to halt work on all projects located on lands with legal or constitutional rights tied to the local community until mutual trust is restored.

The statement, issued by Ghazanfar Khan, Director of admin and PR for Green Tourism Gilgit-Baltistan, mentioned that any future decisions will be made with the consent and trust of the local community. HUM News English could not verify the statement as attempts to reach Ghazanfar Khan by phone went unanswered. However, the company held interviews for 60 posts in Skardu which were attended by around 300 candidates on Thursday.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has formed a 17-member committee to engage with all stakeholders, including political, religious, and social circles, as well as the business community, to gather feedback on the steps taken regarding green tourism.

The committee will collect suggestions for implementing the project and present its recommendations based on these suggestions. According to a notification from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the committee has been directed to submit its report within three weeks. The committee is authorized to enlist any person or expert as needed.