Imran to move SC against GB appointments

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, on Sunday said the appointments of Barjees Tahir as the governor, an ‘employee of Karakoram Bank’ as the caretaker Chief Minister and the election commissioner of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) were tantamount to pre-poll rigging and announced to move the Supreme Court against these steps.
Speaking at a news conference and reception at the residence of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s ex-premier Barrister Sultan Mahmood, the PTI chairman strongly advocated the election of senators through open voting to stem the chances of vote-buying and corruption. He asked all the political parties to bring an amendment for the purpose if they really wanted to ensure transparency in the Senate elections.
He alleged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif could not play with neutral umpires which was why he had already appointed his party men in the region to rig the upcoming polls there.
Under Article 101 of the Constitution, Imran Khan noted that a governor should be a resident of Gilgit-Baltistan while Barjees was from the Punjab and a PML-N loyalist. He revealed that they had an application written by the Gilgit-Baltistan caretaker chief minister to the chief secretary, seeking three-month leave from the bank to serve as the caretaker chief minister. the bank to serve as the caretaker chief minister.
Imran Khan announced to take to streets in Gilgit-Baltistan against the measures being taken to rig the electoral process on the pattern of 2013 general elections in Pakistan. He claimed Najam Sethi in a TV show conceded that all administrative matters were being controlled from Raiwind 15 days before the general elections.
PTI chief called for decentralisation of power instead of controlling Gilgit-Baltistan from Islamabad and treating them as second class citizens. He noted that when the people of Balochistan raised voice for their rights, the army was sent in there.
He recalled how the people of erstwhile East Pakistan who had voted for Pakistan with consensus, then decided unanimously to separate themselves from the rest of Pakistan on denial of their rights.
Imran Khan alleged that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were not being given their due share of electricity, funds, water and gas, and added that the sense of deprivation was increasing among the smaller federating units.
About the upcoming Senate elections, he lamented that unfortunately, the element of money would be playing a key part and loyalties of lawmakers would be auctioned. He called for putting an end to this saga of politicians defaming themselves.
He pointed out when all the four provinces had equal representation in the Senate, how come people from Sindh could be allowed to run from Islamabad and Punjab.
Imran revealed that one of PTI MPAs had proposed a candidate against the party rules and policy and that action would be taken against him and if proved that he had taken money, he would be sent to jail.
Turning his guns again towards Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan alleged that he was doing the same to the cricket now after playing havoc with Pakistan, following the worst ever rigged elections two years back.
Imran said that the results of the election tribunals, coming up now after two years, were proving their stance and that how worst the elections were rigged.He claimed that because of rigging, Premier Nawaz Sharif was not forming Judicial Commission to probe the 2013 elections. However, he asserted whatever Nawaz could do, PTI would win elections in AJK and the next general elections.
Imran alleged both PPP and PML-N had joined hands to hide their corruption and maintain the status quo by appointing a man of their choice as NAB chief, making Khursheed Shah as head of the Public Accounts Committee against whom there were corruption cases.
He alleged both parties were of status quo and opposed to change in Pakistan.PTI chief said that the apex court would hear their petition with regard to Gilgit-Baltistan as it had taken up a petition by Mir Shakilur Rahman.Several prominent AJK politicians formally joined PTI, including former ministers and lawmakers.