Arrest me if you want me out of Gilgit-Baltistan: Bilawal
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressing a corner meeting in Gilgit-Baltistan. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari termed on Sunday "attempts to exclude" opposition parties from the Gilgit-Baltistan election process as rigging.
During a public address in the Thor area of G-B's district Diamer, the PPP chairman maintained that, “We will not allow the votes of Gilgit-Baltistan's people to be robbed”.
Bilawal said the government was trying to "force him into exile" from the region "so as to pave the way for election fraud", adding that the government may try to use the courts to expel him from the province.
The PPP chairman added that he hoped the judiciary will rule in the favour of democracy and not fraud. He further maintained that he wanted to let everyone know that he was not going anywhere from G-B.
“If I have to be expelled from the region, I have to be arrested,” Bilawal maintained, adding that, “I am with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan till November 15.”
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari approached the Supreme Court against the G-B Chief Court’s decision that members of the Pakistani parliament and provincial assemblies cannot campaign in the region.
The apex court has allowed the PPP's petition for hearing. A two-member bench will hear the case on November 9.
It may be recalled that the G-B Chief Court had ordered the expulsion of members of the Pakistani parliament and provincial assemblies from G-B within three days, saying that senators, MNAs and MPAs could not campaign in the region.
Apart from members of the national and provincial assemblies as well as the Senate, Pakistani personalities can campaign for the election.
On November 7, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while addressing corner meetings in Darial and Thor in connection with the upcoming election in Gilgit-Baltistan, vowed to send "selected and puppet prime minister” [Imran Khan] packing along with his “coterie of corrupt people”.
He said the premier had violated the election laws by visiting the region and said that he cannot announce a package for the region just days ahead of the election.