PTI accuses CM Gilgit-Baltistan of using govt funds for PMLN electioneering

NISAR ALI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Gilgit-Baltistan chapter leaderships has accused Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman and his cabinet of using the regional government’s funds for PMLN electioneering campaign in Islamabad.

Speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club Islamabad here on Monday, the PTI leaders said that chief minister GB and his cabinet were busy in electioneering campaign for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in Islamabad. They said that more than 15 vehicles, carrying dozens PML-N stalwarts and members of GB assembly have reached Islamabad from Gilgit-Baltistan to take part in PMLN’s election campaign aimed at convincing Islamabad and Rawalpindi based GB residents to vote for the party on July 25.

“GB House is now packed with PML-N workers, minister and members. Many guest House have been booked for the facilitation of the PML-N worker of GB,” the PTI leaders claimed, adding that chief minister and his cabinet were using huge amount of Gilgit-Baltistan’s funds for the election campaign.

General Secretary PTI GB chapter, Fateh Ullah Khan claimed that chief minister GB had also spent government-owned funds for facilitation of the PML-N stalwarts and leaders, on the occasion of Nawaz Sharif’s arrival at Lahore, to welcome the disqualified prime minister. He urged the National Accountability Bureau and Supreme Appellate Court GB to initiate a probe against the chief minister GB for using the govt’s funds for partisan political activities.

Speaking on the occasion, member GB assembly, Raja Jahanzaib said that the PML-N had tried to impose a dark law with the name of “Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018” in GB. “However, we [opposition parties] not only offered resistance by staging protest demonstration and sit-in against the order but we also tried to utilize the ‘stick’ in GB assembly and tore the order’s copies in front of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi when he was on a day visit to GB for announcing the implementation of the order.”

He further said that Rehman had initially promised opposition members of GB assembly to take into confidence before accepting the “GB Order 2018”, but at final stage, when it was about to get finalized, the opposition members and stakeholders were not taken into confidence before imposing the order. “As a result, the GB Supreme Appellate Court has restored the ‘Gilgit-Baltistan Ordinance 2009’ by suspending the ‘GB order 2018’. Jahanzaib added that chief minister GB, of late, was involved in “anti-state activities”, making controversial remarks against the judiciary and institutions which, he said, was dangerous for national integrity.

Responding to a question about Amina Ansari’s reservation and multiple groups of PTI in GB, President Raja Jalal said that there was also an ‘Ayishal Gulalai’ party in GB.

Responding to another question, the PTI’s regional leaders said that Imran Khan knows all the issues of GB and he [Imran Khan] would empower the government of Gilgit-Baltistan and give fundamental rights to the region if the PTI come into power.

They said that PTI has incorporated GB into the current manifesto for polls 2018. They claimed that PTI will win on July 25.

Interestingly, Raja Jalal, President of the PTI, who was to lead the press conference, remained silent during most of the media briefing session.