Gilgit-Baltistan: Gubernatorial choice of govt rankles PTI

Party’s spokesperson says PML-N planning to rig polls in the territory.

ISLAMABAD: A federal minister’s appointment as Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) governor ahead of elections in the territory has given Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) another reason to cry foul against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and allege rigging.

A day after Minister for Kashmir Affairs Barjees Tahir’s appointment, the party said the government was once again planning to rig the forthcoming elections in G-B.

“It is a clear case of pre-poll rigging by the ruling PML-N,” said PTI Information Secretary Dr Shireen Mazari in a statement on Sunday. Mazari said the PML-N has never played without having its own umpires and fixing matches.

The appointment of the new governor of G-B also provided the PTI to renew its demand, with a new vigour, for the constitution of a judicial commission to investigate rigging allegations in 2013 general elections.

The party has held several rounds of talks with the PML-N, during and after its 126-day sit-in, it has even warned it could re-launch its protest campaign against the government any time., Yet the government has not  responded to the PTI over judicial commission.

“Unless the 2013 electoral fraud is investigated by an independent inquisitorial Judicial Commission, PML-N will continue to seek electoral success through rigging,” Mazari said. She said PTI and its chairman Imran Khan will fight on till they expose the 2013 electoral fraud before the nation.

The party has also decided to move the court against appointment of G-B governor.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2015.