By Sankar Ray
Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf bagged ten out of 23 seats that went to poll in the Gilgit-Baltistan provincial assembly elections on Sunday. Political analysts most of whom foresaw a three-party neck-to-neck contest among PTI, Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) failed to feel the pulse of voters who gave no party an absolute majority. Election in GBA-3 will remain postponed till November 22, following the death of a candidate. Polling took place amid tight security and anti-coronavirus standard operating procedures. The G-B legislature comprises of 33 members, of which 24 are directly elected by the people, while six seats are reserved for women and three for technocrats.
As many as seven independents got elected while PPP and PML(N) managed to win three and two seats respectively.PTI has roped the lone winning candidate of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan that had a seat adjustment with PTI. The PM who was chairing a meeting of the federal government on Monday staked claim to form the new government. A PTI spokesperson promised that if the PTI forms the government it would redress the problems of the masses in the backward areas. The opposition in the new legislature is numerically too feeble to play any meaningful role. The six independents are footloose and the PTI will in all probability allure them by accommodating them in the G-B ministry/
The poll results are frustrating for the opposition, especially the newly-formed Pakistan Democratic Movement. Khan took a potshot at PDM in a bantering tone, saying that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan rejected the narrative of the opposition alliance. “Opposition parties only aim is to safeguard their personal interests,” the premier said. He asked the PTI spokesperson to expose corruption cases against the opposition leaders while briefing the media.
However, the PPP alleged ‘calculated rigging’ in the conduct of electoral process. The party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said it was far from having been a free and fair election. The PPP leader vowed not to compromise over the rights of the people and assured that his party would keep the protest action on till the right of the vote was not safeguarded.
“The PTI was not even prepared to contest the elections. They did not even have a candidate for the post of chief minister, he added.
He cited polling stations where no polling took place in GBA-2 constituency and alleged that in GBA-18 constituency women voters were not allowed to cast their vote. A PPP candidate Jameel Ahmad, Bilawal said, was winning the election but the result was changed overnight. He was announced to have won by 1,000 votes “but this morning [Monday] an attempt was being made to hand over that seat to PTI by two votes”, the PPP chief added.. Furthermore, “Ballot boxes were stolen from GBA-21 constituency,” the PPP supremo claimed. He had cancelled his return flight from Gilgit arguing. “I cannot leave my people like this”. “We will not accept any lollipop, will never compromise on the rights of the people.”
Toeing PPP line, the PML(N) leader Maryam Nawaz said, despite ‘unbridled rigging’. PTI failed to get absolute majority, despite using state machinery and with the help of turncoats, adding that the people of GB have no confidence in the PTI.. She twitted in Urdu , which, translated, reads, ”It is a shameful defeat for the entire state power, government institutions, government machinery to change allegiances by force and coercive tactics and not even get a simple majority despite the worst fraud. The losers getting double the number of seats from the ‘looted party’ is a public distrust of the puppet.”
Previously known as the Northern Areas, Gilgit-Baltistan is part of the greater Kashmir region. It is six times as large as the Azad Kashmir – the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. There has been a protracted conflict between Pakistan and India on territorial possession, the matter referred to the United Nations. . Which is why India questioned Pakistan’s right to hold elections in G-B but Islamabad pooh-poohed the protestation as the Pakistan Supreme Court had allowed Islamabad to amend a 2018 administrative order to conduct general elections in the region. .
After the British colonial rulers had left the region, the Pakistani government dislodged the Dogra rule and took the control of the region by imposing the Frontier Crime Regulation that remained intact until 1972. It was abolished when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto became the Prime Minister. His government judiciously responded to the growing anger of people against the continuity of FCR. People came down to streets in protest. (IPA Service)