ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has approved proposals for political and administrative measures for the Northern Areas to give the special status with appointment of governor, chief minister and converting its Legislative Council into Assembly.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the committee on Northern Areas Governance Order held under the chairmanship of the prime minister here on Thursday.Sources said a special meeting of the federal cabinet has been summoned on Saturday to give the final approval to the Northern Areas Governance Order.

According to sources, under the proposed administrative measures for the Northern Areas, the president will appoint the governor on the advice of the prime minister while the Legislative Assembly will elect the Chief Minister.

Sources said the Council of the Northern Areas would also be established and the prime minister would be its chairman.The legislative Assembly will consists of 36 members, 24 would be elected directly, while seven seats each reserved for the technocrats and women.

Sources said the issue would be taken up in the special cabinet meeting and after getting its nod; the presidential ordinance will be issued to give a special status to Northern Areas.The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting and KANA, Qamar Zaman Kaira; Federal Minister for Labour & Manpower, Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Zaheer-ud-Din Babar Awan; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan; Minister of State for Law & Justice, Mohammad Afzal Sandhu; Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar and Secretaries Interior and KANA.