ISLAMABAD: The government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) traded accusations on Tuesday over alleged restrictions on political campaigning ahead of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections, with the ruling coalition rejecting claims of discrimination and the opposition alleging attempts to marginalise its supporters.
Political activity intensified across Gilgit-Baltistan as major political parties stepped up their campaigns ahead of elections on 24 Assembly seats scheduled for June 7.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif arrived in Gilgit on a brief visit, while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto Zardari travelled to Skardu to address an election rally in constituency GBA-7.
Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah dismissed PTI’s allegations and said Nawaz Sharif had travelled to Gilgit-Baltistan after obtaining the required no-objection certificate (NOC) from the relevant authorities.
He maintained that no federal minister had visited the region for electioneering and insisted there had been no official interference in the electoral process.
Rana further said PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan was freely holding public meetings in Gilgit-Baltistan and argued that other PTI leaders could also campaign if they followed the same legal procedures.
“If Barrister Gohar can travel there after obtaining permission, then Salman Akram Raja should do the same,” he said.
The PML-N leader also claimed that PTI did not have any candidate directly contesting the elections and expressed confidence that the polls would be free, fair and transparent.
Responding to the government’s position, PTI leader Shafi Jan alleged that all political parties except PTI were being allowed to conduct election campaigns in Gilgit-Baltistan.
He noted that both Nawaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari were actively participating in election activities and claimed the Election Commission would have acted immediately had a PTI minister engaged in similar campaigning.
“The Election Commission’s silence is difficult to understand,” he said.
Jan also criticised the collapse of PTI’s alliance with the Gilgit-Baltistan Democratic Movement and alleged that candidates associated with the party had been compelled to contest the elections as independents.
Questioning the restrictions allegedly imposed on PTI workers and leaders, he said that if the party had genuinely lost public support, there would be no need to prevent its members from campaigning in the region.
The PTI leader further warned against what he described as attempts to influence the election outcome, alleging preparations for “another Form 47 operation” and vowing that the party would resist any effort to manipulate the electoral process.
The Gilgit-Baltistan elections are scheduled to take place on June 7, with political parties making final efforts to mobilise voters in what is expected to be a closely watched contest.