Gilgit Baltistan caretaker information minister Ghulam Abbas told a National Press Club Islamabad gathering that the interim setup’s top priority is to ensure the next elections are conducted in a free and transparent manner and that press freedom will be fully respected.
Speaking at the Meet the Press event alongside spokesman Shabbir Mir, NPC president Azhar Jatoi, GB Journalists Forum president Abrar Astori, governing body member Jafar Balti and former RIUJ president Abid Abbasi, Ghulam Abbas said the caretaker chief minister Justice (retd) Yar Muhammad has given clear instructions to highlight and address public problems across the region.
Ghulam Abbas said the caretaker team is actively identifying key public issues such as electricity outages, internet and telecom coverage, and other service shortfalls. He pledged to work with the federal Ministry of Information Technology to resolve internet, coverage and IT challenges, noting that 4G service is currently difficult to access in many parts of Gilgit Baltistan.
The minister also committed to ensuring health cards for journalists and taking steps to secure timely payment of media salaries. He described the National Press Club as a welcoming forum and recalled his long association with the organisation as a former member and working journalist, expressing confidence that collaboration with media will help surface and solve local problems.
Addressing concerns about outside narratives, Ghulam Abbas said that negative propaganda about Gilgit Baltistan from India and its leaders does not affect the people who remain firmly attached to Pakistan. He stressed that the upcoming general elections in Gilgit Baltistan will allow participation by all political parties and will be held in a peaceful environment.
Spokesman Shabbir Mir remarked that the caretaker setup has about three months and that new faces are on board to run the interim administration. He assured citizens that the team is committed to delivering transparent elections and attempting practical improvements in electricity and other services within the limited period.
