ISLAMABAD/ PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Information Secretary Sh Waqas Akram on Friday billed the arrest of party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Junaid Akbar and others during the poll drive in Gilgit-Baltistan as the worst form of political revenge, pre-poll rigging and an open strike on democratic values.
“Tactics to stop election campaign are dangerous for democracy. Increasing political pressure before elections is an attempt to influence public opinion. A conspiracy is being hatched to make the political arena one-sided in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he charged.
According to the party’s Central Media Department here, Waqas contended that keeping the PTI leadership away from the election campaign is the worst political revenge and that taking away political freedom is a negation of democratic values. He emphasized that the arrests of public representatives are a question mark on a transparent election process. He noted that Junaid Akbar Khan, according to reports, was stopped and arrested by the Gilgit-Baltistan Police on the grounds that he did not have an NOC, whereas the government parties are being allowed to run an open election campaign with government machinery, protocol and full state facilitation.
The PTI spokesman, in his reaction to the development, said his expulsion from the province after his arrest (province-wide raid) is clear evidence that this action is not merely illegal but is based on political revenge. “This double standard is clear evidence that the current ruling parties are afraid of facing the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. On the one hand, the election symbol was snatched from the PTI, false cases were filed against party leaders and workers, and now tactics like arrest and province-wide raid are being used during the poll campaign,” he decried.
While, on the other hand, he continued, the PMLN and government allies are being given complete freedom. He emphasized that Pakistan is an independent country, not a colony, where leaders of a political party need an NOC to travel to different parts of the country. If the law is equal for all, why are the same conditions not applicable to the ruling parties?
He underlined that the party wants to make it clear that such tactics, arrests and measures like province-wide ban cannot suppress the voice of people nor can they remove the support of Imran Khan and PTI from the hearts of people. The people of GB, he claimed, are conscious and will respond with the power of votes despite state pressure, arrests and political vendetta. “We demand that all political parties be provided equal electoral opportunities and that elections in Gilgit-Baltistan be made transparent, free and impartial,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Shabbir Mir has said the impression that Caretaker Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Justice (retd) Yar Muhammad did not attend the phone call of the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was not correct.
According to the spokesperson, when the phone call was received from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the caretaker chief minister was undergoing examination and treatment due to back pain. As soon as doctors completed the examination, the caretaker CM called back, however, he was informed that the KP CM was not available.
Shabbir said no political party or candidate is being discriminated against in Gilgit-Baltistan and equal opportunities are being provided to all political parties and independent candidates. The Election Commission and related institutions are fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities to hold transparent, free and impartial elections.
He said some political leaders coming from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not follow the code of conduct and agreed rules and regulations. Upon the identification of Election Monitoring Officer GBLA 2, the relevant authorities took action and sent them back from Gilgit-Baltistan, however, no one was arrested. The spokesperson clarified that no one can be allowed to be above the law and those who violate the law will be dealt with according to the law.
On the other hand, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday condemned the arrest of Junaid Akbar and other parliamentarians in Gilgit-Baltistan. He said if the detained parliamentarians are not released immediately, he would personally travel to Gilgit-Baltistan to question what he termed a puppet administration and those allegedly involved in engineering political outcomes. He observed that political exclusion, coercive measures and denial of a level-playing field undermine democratic institutions and weaken public confidence in the electoral process. He stressed that sustainable political stability can only be achieved through inclusive democratic engagement, respect for political pluralism and adherence to the rule of law. He noted that those who are supposed to protect the public mandate are the very ones who repeatedly deprive citizens of their mandate. He clarified that attempts to marginalise political stakeholders or restrict their participation in the democratic process contribute to polarisation and deepen divisions within the society, adding that the protection of public mandate is fundamental to any democratic system.
Referring to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, Sohail said the region is known for its dignified, politically aware and hospitable population. He made it clear that Gilgit-Baltistan will not be allowed to become a no-go area. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan will respond to this alleged disrespect towards their guests through the power of their vote in the upcoming elections.
The Tehreek Tahaffuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan also condemned the arrests of PTI leadership in Gilgit-Baltistan and said it was an attack on democracy, as the regime was afraid of PTI popularity. “We strongly condemn the arrest of PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial President Junaid Akbar, National Assembly Members Salim-ur-Rehman, Syed Mehboob Shah, Dr Amjad Ali Khan and Provincial Assembly Member Naeem Khan during the Gilgit-Baltistan election campaign,” the opposition alliance said in a statement issued here.
The opposition alliance Secretary General Asad Qaiser said that these measures are an open attack not only on democratic values but also on the basic political right of the people to vote. The opposition alliance leader emphasised that history is a witness that the voice of the masses cannot be suppressed through oppression and coercion. “The brave people of Gilgit-Baltistan will reject all tactics of political revenge, fascism and oppression and will respond to these forces with the power of their votes,” he contended.
He maintained that despite all kinds of undemocratic tactics, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will continue its struggle for the rights of people and supremacy of the Constitution and law.
