GILGIT/ ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday called for elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to be held simultaneously with country’s general elections, saying it would strengthen public sovereignty.
“True public sovereignty would only be ensured if elections in GB were held alongside Pakistan’s general elections,” he said while addressing an election rally in Shigar’s GBA-12 constituency as part of electioneering for the June 7 polls set to be held in the region.
The PPP chief said that his party remained committed to securing the rights of the people of GB and ensuring transparent elections in the region. He urged voters to safeguard their mandate and expressed hope that no seats would be “stolen” in the upcoming polls.
Bilawal criticised what he described as an Islamabad-centric approach to governance, saying some political parties wanted to run GB, Gwadar and Karachi from the federal capital. “I want the decisions of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan to be made by you, not by a babu sitting in Islamabad,” he said.
He added that the people of the region should be allowed to make their own decisions and argued that greater local authority would lead to economic progress. “If the people of Shigar are given authority, they will achieve economic development,” he said.
Referring to federal institutions, Bilawal said that if the federation was facing financial difficulties, it should first consider closing the ministries dealing with GB and AJK. The PPP chairman also highlighted his party’s welfare initiatives, including the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), and claimed that only the PPP could protect the scheme.
Bilawal alleged that other political parties wanted to “end the BISP in one way or another”, warning against proposals to devolve the scheme to the provinces. “Across the world, these responsibilities are undertaken by the federal government,” he said, adding that handing BISP over to the provinces would amount to ending the programme.
According to Bilawal, he had promoted BISP as a successful welfare model during his tenure as foreign minister. “I used to tell Afghanistan to adopt the BISP as a model and help poor people,” he said.
Bilawal reiterated his demand for free and transparent elections in GB, urging voters to safeguard their mandate during the upcoming polls. “Even today, our demand is that transparent elections should be held in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said, urging voters “to return with Form-45 in your hands.”
“You support me and I will take care of Form-47 myself,” the PPP chief added. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Sh Waqas Akram accused the government of blatant discrimination, denying his party leaders the right engage in electioneering while facilitating the rivals ahead of Gilgit-Baltistan elections.
In reaction to the related events, he claimed that while PMLN and PPP leaders continue their usual unrestricted political campaigns in the region, PTI leaders are being deliberately silenced and barred. He noted Barrister Gohar Ali Khan may be “allowed” entry, but any political activity is strictly forbidden.
“PTI workers are barred from arranging rallies or public gatherings, with authorities shamelessly refusing to issue NOCs on baseless pretexts while on the contrary, PNLN leader Khawaja Saad Rafique is freely allowed to hold rallies in Gilgit-Baltistan, yet senior PTI leaders such as Asad Qaisar and Junaid Akbar are denied the same right. Are they less Pakistani than Khawaja Saad Rafique? This blatant discrimination exposes the ugly bias of a partisan state apparatus,” he charged.
Today, he continued, the police raided the residence of PTI candidate Ateeq Peerzada in yet another blatant act of harassment and intimidation; These are not mere incidents, they represent a systematic campaign to crush dissent and eliminate competition.
He noted that lawyers, who approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for NOCs, were bluntly rejected and denied even a written refusal. Yet the same system proudly parades Nawaz Sharif’s NOC on national television.
Meanwhile, PMLN President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was on Monday granted an NOC to visit Gilgit-Baltistan by the Election Commission.
He will visit Gilgit-Baltistan on June 2 (today) for election activities. Party sources said the chief election commissioner, GB, approved Nawaz’s visit. The commission has issued a no-objection certificate and the visit has been made subject to compliance with the election code of conduct.
