Army’s supervision demanded for Hunza by-polls

The candidates accused G-B Governor Mir Ghazanfar Ali and CM Hafeezur Rehman of favouring PML-N candidate Salim Khan

GILGIT: At least five candidates have demanded army supervision for the by-election in GBLA-6 Hunza, saying the government is involved in pre-poll rigging.

They were speaking at Gilgit Press Club on Sunday. The demand for army supervision was put forward by various candidates, including an independent candidate Colonel (retd) Obaidullah Baig, PTI candidate Aziz Ahmad, Aam Aadmi Party’s Dinar Khan, Nek Nam and Salman Abid.

The candidates accused G-B Governor Mir Ghazanfar Ali and Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman of favouring Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate Salim Khan, in the elections.

“Only the army can ensure free and fair polls,” Ahmad said. The candidates also pressed the Election Commission of Pakistan to play its role in ensuring transparency in the by-election.

Earlier, the leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party had asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz not to meddle in the upcoming by-elections for GBLA-6 Hunza.

On May 28, the Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court postponed the by-polls by another three weeks.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2016.