PM Imran's G-B visit violation of election laws: Bilawal

PPP leader questions G-B election commissioner's role, asking him to reveal his meeting record with govt functionaries

ABBOTABAD:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Raja Shahbaz Khan should reveal his meeting record with government functionaries in Islamabad.

While addressing a corner meeting of PPP at Pakwara in Astore district on Thursday in connection with the campaign for G-B upcoming election, Bilawal said that the responsibility of CEC is to hold free and fair elections in G-B but he is holding meetings in Islamabad and addressing press conference against him despite the fact that he does not hold any public office and has the right to run the election campaign of his party.

"The election commissioner is facilitating the prime minister and federal ministers in violating elections laws," he alleged and said that the election commissioner is not protecting the rights of the people to participate in free and fair elections.

The PPP chairman also criticised PM Imran for announcing status of G-B as an interim province as former president Asif Ali Zardari had already given that status and appointed governor and chief minister for the region.

He said that the prime minister was totally ignorant of the situation in G-B. "He [PM Imran] said that he was not announcing any package for G-B because of the election laws but the people [of G-B] ask him that why did not do so during the last two years," he questioned.

He also said that the visits of the premier and the federal ministers were in violation of election laws. "Ministers are distributing money to the people in return of their votes but these incapable and puppets do not know that the people of G-B are honourable and loyal and are not for sale."

Bilawal also said that Imran Khan wanted to take away the subsidies given by former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on food items, petrol and clothes but his party will not allow this to happen. "The PPP will not only deliver a full-fledge status of a province to G-B but also the right to rule and the rights of property and employment."

He strongly condemned the killing of growers' leader from Vehari, Malik Ashfaq Langrial, who succumbed to the injury sustained due to torture and baton charge by the Punjab government in Lahore recently.

He further said that the day is not far when the 'puppet government' will be held responsible for all these atrocities.

"وزیر اعظم اور اس کے وزراء کے گلگت دوروں کا نوٹس لینے کے بجائے الیکشن کمشنر ان کا دفاع کر رہاہے۔اگر سلیکٹڈ کے پاس کٹھپتلی وزیر اور ادارے ہیں تو ہمارے ساتھ گلگت کے نوجوان،مائیں بہنیں اوربزرگ ہیں۔"
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری@BBhuttoZardari#GBMainTeerChalega
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— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) November 5, 2020