Gilgit Baltistan

Jumping ship: ANP’s Aurangzeb Khan switches to PML-N

Defection costs party its lone candidate for G-B legislative elections

Shabbir Mir May 10, 2015

GILGIT: A senior leader of Awami National Party in Gilgit-Baltistan joined Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Sunday, boosting the ranks of the latter ahead of June 8 elections.

“My decision to join PML-N reflects acceptance for Nawaz Sharif’s policy for this region,” said Advocate Aurangzeb Khan during a ceremony at the PML-N Secretariat in Gilgit. He promised to work for the betterment of the people under the leadership of PML-N regional chief Hafizur Rehman.

Khan is a practising lawyer who had joined ANP before the elections in 2009. Since he is a resident of Jaglot Sai, many elders of various tribes from the area supported his move, saying they will also support PML-N G-B chief Rehman as they believe he can pull G-B out of crisis.

Rehman welcomed Khan in the party, saying the infusion of new blood into the party will help achieve its targets. “Khan is a seasoned politician and an active political worker whose experience can benefit the party in future.”

Khan’s defection to PML-N means ANP has lost its lone candidate and hence its significance in the region.

The move has come days after Pakistan People Party’s Agha Foker and the lone ranger of Muttahida Qaumi Movement in G-B Raza Azam left their parties to join PML-N.

Last month, one of PPP G-B’s founding members, Yahya Shah, and senior members of the party’s ulema wing switched their parties’ affiliations. The legislative elections in G-B are scheduled to be held on June 8 and the inclusion of Khan has strengthened the position of PML-N.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (1)

atherkhanturi | 9 years ago | Reply looks like pmln is doing all its can to make a landslide win in gb. but what does they offer to the region? do they talk about its constitutional status ? no. do they talk about the rampant corruption that was prevalent in last ppp led govt? no. so, the ultimate result is more estrangement brewing among the youth of gb. only one thing that pmln offer is sectarianism. so i only wish (its seems to remain as a wish for a long time) if only pti could won the election. if nothing it would challenge the central govt about the allocation of due funds and media will highlight about the corruption in the province. at least some positives.

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