The Londoner

By Sikander Hayat According to Dawn newspaper “The Northern areas will be renamed to 'Gilgit Baltistan' and will have a province like status, Prime Minister Gilani announced on Saturday. In a special cabinet meeting, the government approved reforms package for the Northern Areas during which the PM stated that the area will be given full autonomy. Gilgit Baltistan will also have its own assembly council with a total of 15 members. There will be a governor, chief minsiter and six other ministers of Gilgit. Pakistan Muslim League - N (PML-N) has welcomed the approval of self-governance for the Northern Areas, saying PML-N would support every step which aimed to bring people of these areas into the mainstream”. I believe that this is a very good and long overdue development and must now be a great step towards giving Gilgit Baltistan full provincial status. This area of Pakistan has long suffered due to being incorrectly linked with the Kashmir problem and work has no...

By Sikander Hayat Equal Opportunities Commission has moved courts against the BNP (British National Party) in order to force them to open their membership to all colours. Given that BNP has only one point agenda of keeping coloured people pot of Britain, it will be hard to see this happening. This might result in the shutting down of BNP by law enforcement agencies. Here are some other views about this development: BNP: Commission takes action over potential breach of race discrimination law Racism - From the streets to the courts Finally, BNP racism is challenged

By Sikander Hayat Taliban are defeated in Swat and must now be defeated in Waziristan as well. Death of Baitullah Mehsud has started a rot that will eventually finish the Pakistani Taliban as we know it. Pakistan government must plan now to be vigilant against the regrouping of the Taliban in Waziristan and increase efforts to bring FATA in the national fold and eventually give it a provincial status. Here are few of the articles which discuss the future scenarios for FATA: 1. Fata priorities By I.A. Rehman 2. Review Descent Into Chaos Ahmed Rashid 3.Pakistan & The Provinces – The Question of Provincial Autonomy & Its Impact On Pakistan’s Future Prosperity 4.Provincial status for Fata demanded