A \u201cparliamentary political party\u201d contesting elections being subjected to \u201cundue restrictions\u201d, says CM
\n PESHAWAR
\nKhyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday called for judicial intervention to ensure a free, fair and transparent general election in Gilgit-Baltistan, scheduled to be held on June 7.
\nIn a letter to GB Supreme Appellate Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan, the PTI-backed chief minister said that \u201cdeeply disturbing\u201d reports emanating from GB regarding the prevailing political environment in the run-up to the forthcoming elections.
\nHis letter came a day after PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter President Junaid Akbar along with other party leaders were detained and later expelled from Gilgit-Baltistan, the region\u2019s police officials said on Friday.
\nSpeaking to Geo News on the PTI leaders\u2019 expulsion, GB Home Minister Sajid Ali Baig had said Akbar and his associates violated the election code of conduct.
\nAkbar addressed the rally in the Jaglot area and also held a public gathering in Gilgit without obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC), the home minister added.
\nEarlier today, PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser alleged that restrictions on his movement prevented him from reaching Islamabad airport in time, causing him to miss a flight to Skardu, where he was scheduled to take part in the GB election campaign.
\nThe CM, without naming PTI, said that \u201ccredible information\u201d indicates that a \u201cparliamentary political party\u201d contesting the elections is being subjected to undue restrictions on its political activities, including election campaigns, public gatherings, and the movement of its workers and leadership.
\n\u201cReports of harassment, arbitrary apprehensions, and obstruction of lawful political participation have raised serious concerns and, if left unaddressed, may undermine the integrity of the electoral process,\u201d he added.
\nCM Afridi further said that the Constitution guarantees the fundamental right of every political party and citizen to participate in free, fair, transparent, and impartial elections.
\nCM said: \u201cAny deviation from these principles constitutes a violation of constitutional guarantees and democratic norms.\u201d
\nThe chief minister urged the court to take cognisance of the matter and direct the authorities concerned to ensure the conduct of free, fair, transparent, and impartial elections in GB in letter and spirit.
\nHe also sought the court\u2019s order to restrain any unlawful harassment, arrests, or restrictions against political workers and party leadership and ensure that all political parties are allowed to carry out their election campaigns and political activities without hindrance or interference.
\nThe chief minister hoped that the court, in exercise of its constitutional jurisdiction, would issue appropriate directions to uphold the rule of law, safeguard democratic principles, and ensure public confidence in the electoral process.
\nGB is set to go to the polls on June 7 to elect its 4th Legislative Assembly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A \u201cparliamentary political party\u201d contesting elections being subjected to \u201cundue restrictions\u201d, says CM PESHAWAR Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday called for judicial intervention to ensure a free, fair and transparent general election in Gilgit-Baltistan, scheduled to be held on June 7. In a letter to GB Supreme Appellate Court Chief Justice Sardar […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":536613,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-548711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n