Lawmakers allowed to continue electioneering

The Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court on Monday suspended a verdict of G-B Chief Court which had ordered Pakistani lawmakers to leave the region within 72 hours, barring them from taking part in the campaign for the November 15 elections.

The Supreme Appellate Court suspended the Chief Court’s orders till November 12 besides issuing notices to the parties to appear in the hearing on the date. According to the Appellate Court decision, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilalwal Bhutto Zardari and other lawmakers were allowed to campaign in G-B for the elections. A two-member bench issued the ruling on a plea filed by Bilawal seeking suspension of the chief court’s orders.

The G-B Chief Court in its decision on Nov 6 had said the country’s political personalities, other than National and provincial assembly lawmakers and Senate members, could run the campaigns in the region as the elected representatives were ineligible for electioneering and that they were violating the code of conduct. Besides, it directed the G-B administration and the police to ensure that no Pakistani elected representative entered the region. The court maintained the orders of the court would remain in force till the elections.

The PPP chief had launched G-B election campaign from Ghanche district on October 22 and since then he has been addressing various public gatherings, corner meetings and conventions of party workers while other lawmakers of PTI-led federal government, including Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and G-B Ali Amin Gandapur, were also campaigning in the region. Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz’s (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz was also addressing rallies during her election campaign in the region.

Addressing a public gathering in Nagar district of G-B on Monday, Bilawal accused Prime Minister Imran Khan of opposing the provision of provincial status to the region, saying the initiative was not mentioned in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf manifesto. “Now they [PTI govt] are considering giving provisional provincial status to G-B at the time of election,” said the PPP chief in his address.

Bilawal recalled the PTIled federal government did nothing for the region since it came to power in 2018. He referred to a petition filed by the prime minister in the apex court to review its decision of granting G-B a provincial status. The PPP chief accused the prime minister of opposing the idea of granting G-B provincial status in a cabinet meeting held in January. In his speech, Bilawal said the issue was a part of the PPP manifesto in 2018 and assured people to fulfill the party’s promise.

(WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)