Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal has directed the federal and Gilgit-Baltistan governments to fast-track implementation of the Rs24.9 billion, 100MW Distributed Solar Photovoltaic project.
Chairing the second meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on development concerns of Gilgit-Baltistan, the minister said the solar, transmission and access-road components should move forward simultaneously.
He directed the GB government to immediately begin work on access roads and transmission infrastructure that fall under its share. The meeting was told that the project includes rooftop and utility-scale solar installations, along with transmission lines and access roads.
Ahsan Iqbal also instructed officials to carry out third-party validation alongside implementation so that quality and compliance checks do not delay progress.
Calling energy the number one crisis in Gilgit-Baltistan, the minister said the region cannot afford further delays in addressing its electricity shortage. He urged all concerned departments to maintain close coordination and remove procedural bottlenecks.
The meeting was also informed that the Rs10.6 billion Naltar Power Project is nearing completion, while the Rs12.9 billion Hanzel Power Project is at an advanced stage.
During the meeting, the minister also reviewed tourism-related matters and asked the GB government to consider an appropriate taxation and regulatory framework for the sector. He said the region needs sustainable and environmentally responsible tourism growth.
Ahsan Iqbal further ordered a comprehensive study on the tourism carrying capacity of Gilgit-Baltistan to determine how much tourism the region’s fragile environment can sustainably support.
He proposed a task force comprising the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, the Ministry of Climate Change and the GB government, with support from experts and institutions including the Aga Khan Development Network.
The minister said the group should formulate recommendations to regulate tourism, discourage unplanned construction and protect the ecological balance of the region.
He also directed the formation of a committee with representatives from the Federal Board of Revenue, the Finance Division and the GB government to help develop and implement a tourism taxation framework.
On financing constraints, Ahsan Iqbal said the Planning Ministry had already recommended in February 2025 that GB be given a financing framework similar to provinces under the National Finance Commission mechanism.
He added that pending finalisation of the NFC Award, alternative financing arrangements should be explored to meet the region’s immediate development needs.
The minister directed that all decisions, recommendations and instructions from the meeting be compiled into an interim report within two weeks so that the relevant ministries, departments and the GB government can act without delay.
Chief Minister GB Amjad Hussain Azaar, Leader of the Opposition in the GB Assembly, Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, who joined virtually, and senior federal and GB officials attended the meeting.
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