GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court on Friday ordered federal ministers and government officials to leave the region in three days.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Malik Haq Nawaz and Justice Ali Baig announced the verdict on a writ petition filed over violation of the code of conduct ahead of the upcoming polls. The court also directed Gilgit-Baltistan's Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan, the chief minister and the chief secretary to implement the decision immediately.
Earlier, PPP leader Sherry Rehman had lamented that Prime Minister Imran Khan and federal ministers violated the electoral code of conduct by running political campaigns and urged the CEC to take notice. “The prime minister and a federal minister are running the campaign of their party illegally in Gilgit-Baltistan, which is clear violation of the code of conduct of the elections and a pre-polling rigging,” she had said, adding that the federal ministers were addressing corner meetings and announcing development projects in the campaign — none of them was allowed to do so after the announcement of the Gilgit-Baltistan election schedule.
The PPP had also written a complaint letter to the GB CEC about Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur allegedly violating the electoral code of conduct by campaigning in the elections for the PTI.
“Gandapur's speeches are being telecast by several channels in which he is shown making electoral promises to the electorate,” PPP Election Cell In-charge Taj Haider had said in the letter.
Haider had stated in a letter that the Returning Officer of GBA 16 Diamer-II Chilas had taken notice of Gandapur's forthcoming visit and restrained him from “participating in election campaign in any manner whatsoever”.
GB's caretaker government had nominated through an office order government officials in 10 districts to assist the visiting minister from October 28 to November 16, he added, noting that it was a blatant violation of the code of conduct and also in open defiance of the circular.
However, GB CEC Raja Shahbaz Khan had dismissed the criticism over PM Imran Khan's address in the northern region ahead of elections, saying it "was not a political gathering". Speaking to Geo Pakistan, Shahbaz had said the premier had participated in the Independence Day celebrations but that action would be taken against the violation of election rules.
Imran had come under scrutiny after he addressed a rally on Sunday where he announced provisional-provincial status for the GB. While he had declined to announce any development package for the region owing to the Election Commission’s restrictions, he did assure the people of his government's resolve to uplift backward areas.