Gilgit, November 6, 2024 – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced an immediate provision of 100 megawatts of power for Gilgit Baltistan and a Rs1 billion endowment fund to support university students.
During his day-long visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz chaired a special meeting with the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) cabinet, where he expressed satisfaction with the timely completion of the Bubar Model Village—a project he inaugurated to provide housing for those displaced by the 2022 floods. He directed the GB administration to establish educational institutions, playgrounds, power transmission infrastructure, and other essential facilities in the Ghizer district.
The Rs1 billion endowment fund, which will support merit-based scholarships, is designated for students of Baltistan University and Karakorum University. Additionally, the Prime Minister shared plans to set up Daanish Schools in GB, modeled after those in Punjab, aiming to expand educational opportunities for local students.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to the region’s welfare, PM Shehbaz recalled his tenure as Punjab’s chief minister, during which his administration had contributed Rs1 billion to improve education in GB. He also emphasized the importance of provincial and federal cooperation for economic stability, noting recent positive developments such as the stock exchange crossing the 92,000 mark, increased remittances, growth in tax filers, and reduced inflation.
The prime minister commended the collective role of all provinces, as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, in national development. He underscored his government’s special focus on improving conditions in GB, Balochistan, and the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
With a view to boosting tourism in Gilgit Baltistan, PM Shehbaz noted the Qatari government’s interest in investing in the region. Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Amir Muqam, and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, along with members of the GB cabinet and senior officials, attended the meeting.
