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Ministers & legislators cannot run election campaign, GB Chief Court rules
With reporting by Abdul Rahman Bukhari
GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court has rules that ministers and members of the assemblies can not participate in the election campaign.
Pakistan People’s Party had challenged the order of the Chief Court of Gilgit-Baltistan dated November 6, 2020 in which the Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and members of the National Assembly were ordered to leave Gilgit-Baltistan within three days.
Amjad Hussain Advocate represented PPP and Munir Ahmed Advocate presented arguments on behalf of the Election Commission.
The hearing was adjourned till 6 pm. The court resumed the hearing at 8:45pm. After hearing the detailed arguments, Chief Justice Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Arshad Hussain Shah and senior Judge Justice Wazir Shakeel Ahmed gave a brief verdict.
The Court ordered that ministers and members of the assemblies will not be able to participate in the election campaign. The court however ordered to not expel ministers and members assemblies from Gilgit-Baltistan.
Kindly note that the order cam three days ahead of the polling date, while most political parties were wrapping up their campaigns.
PTI’s federal ministers announced hundreds of projects during different political gatherings in different parts of the Gilgit-Baltistan region, drawing criticism from opponents who accused them of using the national exchequer as a bait to win votes.
