Green signal: Election tribunal allows Baba Jan to contest by-polls

AWP leader’s supporters say RO’s decision was incorrect

GILGIT: An election tribunal in Gilgit-Baltistan has turned down a returning officer’s (RO) decision to bar progressive leader Baba Jan from contesting by-elections for the GBLA-6 Hunza by-polls.

The decision was taken on Wednesday by judges of the election tribunal, including Justice Haq Nawaz and Justice Wazir Shakeel. It comes less than a week after Jan’s lawyers challenged the RO’s decision.

Jan, who is a member of Awami Workers Party (AWP), is currently serving a jail term.

After Wednesday’s decision, he will now be able to contest the by-polls scheduled for May 28.

His nomination papers were rejected by returning officer Shahen Shah earlier this week on grounds that he had been convicted by a court.

Beacon of light

The tribunal’s decision has been hailed by AWP workers who have thrown their weight behind Jan.

“We are happy that Jan will contest the elections,” Jan’s lawyer, Advocate Nazir Ahmed, told The Express Tribune. “The decision proved the earlier one was incorrect and was made with mala fide intentions,” an AWP activist in Hunza told The Express Tribune. “This is an opportunity we must not lose.”

Jan’s supporters had been vying for the constituency which is particularly important for ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The constituency was previously won by PML-N candidate Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan. Mir Ghazanfar was later appointed as governor of Gilgit-Baltistan.

In the race

The AWP candidate is seen as potential threat to other parties since he had bagged the second largest number of votes after the G-B governor even though he was contesting the polls while he was behind bars.

Besides PML-N, PPP and PTI are also flexing their muscles to bag the seat in Hunza. The district serves as a gateway for CPEC. The G-B governor’s son Salim Khan was also one of the 27 candidates whose nomination papers were accepted.

G-B CM and PML-N Regional President Hafeezur Rehman has asked Deputy Speaker Jafarullah, political adviser Shams Mir and the newly-elected G-B Council member Arman Shah to award tickets on merit. In addition to Salim, potential candidates in the race for the ticket from PML-N include Amin Sher and Iman Shah. Former speaker Wazir Baig and Zafar Iqbal are touted as potential candidates from PPP.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2016.