Gilgit Baltistan witnesses protests against ‘rigged elections’ by Imran Khan’s PTI

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has emerged as the single largest party in Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly elections which has led to a massive uproar among major political parties claiming that the polls are rigged.

The elections were held on November 15 in Gilgit Baltistan in 24 constituencies of the Legislative Assembly.

As per media reports, PTI secured 10 seats which was followed by Bilawal Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), which secured 3 seats and Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) got two seats. Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) won one seat, while seven seats of the GBLA have been won by independent candidates.

Addressing a sit-in in Gilgit, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari alleged rigging in three constituencies. He said rigging was made to snatch the mandate of PPP in Gilgit 1, Ghizer 3 and a constituency in Skardu.

He said the PPP will continue to protest till justice is done. Bilawal said PPP will install Amjad Hussain Advocate as the chief minister of Gilgit Baltistan to provide employment and other rights to the people of region. “The election commission was having the responsibility to stop rigging, but besides stopping the ruling government, it continued to target the opposition”.

In Ghizar, PPP’s Muhammad Ayub also staged sit-in against rigging in Ghizar 4 constituency.

“We will fight against this injustice. Today, our mandate has been hijacked through pre-poll rigging. We will continue till we get justice as the authorities are aware of this rigging”, said Muhammad Ayub while addressing his supporters.

The two former chief ministers PML (N)’s Hafiz Hafeez Ur Rehman and PPP’s Syed Mehdi Shah have lost their battles.

Thousands of people have also taken to the streets in Skardu and Gilgit areas against alleged vote-rigging in the elections.

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif reportedly claimed that Imran Khan’s PTI won a few seats in Gilgit Baltistan`s elections through “rigging”, “bullying”, and with the help of turncoats.

On her Twitter, Maryam wrote that Imran’s PTI failing to achieve an absolute majority in the northern region (illegally occupied) is a “shameful defeat” for the incumbent government.