Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday wrote to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Appellate Court docket of Gilgit-Baltistan, urging speedy judicial intervention to make sure transparency within the upcoming GB elections amid what he described as an “alarming” deterioration within the electoral setting.
The transfer got here amid a collection of reported incidents involving PTI leaders throughout the ongoing election marketing campaign within the mountainous area.
PTI senior chief Asad Qaiser on Saturday claimed he was prevented from reaching Islamabad airport, leading to him lacking his flight to Skardu in reference to the election marketing campaign.
The incident adopted the expulsion of PTI MNA Junaid Akbar and his workforce from GB a day earlier, whereas they had been campaigning for the upcoming elections scheduled for June 7.
Within the letter, the chief minister mentioned experiences rising from GB concerning the electoral course of had been “extraordinarily regarding”.
CM alleged that one political get together was being subjected to undue obstacles in finishing up routine electoral actions, together with public gatherings, campaigning, and the motion of its management and employees.
He additional acknowledged that experiences of political employees being harassed, unlawfully detained, and prevented from partaking in political exercise had been “deeply troubling”, warning that if such practices continued unchecked, they may “severely undermine the credibility and transparency of the electoral course of.”
Emphasizing constitutional ensures, the chief minister famous that Pakistan’s Structure ensures each political get together and citizen the elemental proper to take part in free, truthful, clear and neutral elections.
He added that any deviation from these rules wouldn’t solely represent a violation of the Structure however would additionally run opposite to democratic norms.
The letter additionally referred to as for clear instructions to the related authorities to make sure free and truthful elections in GB, an instantaneous finish to the alleged harassment and illegal restrictions on political employees, and the restoration of equal political area for all events to conduct marketing campaign actions with out discrimination.
It additional urged swift and efficient motion towards any violations of constitutional and democratic rights throughout the electoral course of, stressing the necessity to uphold the rule of regulation and defend electoral integrity.
The chief minister appealed to the courtroom to train its constitutional mandate to safeguard democratic rules and restore public confidence within the electoral course of.
CM Afridi expressed hope that well timed judicial intervention would guarantee credible, clear, and peaceable elections within the area.
The date for native authorities elections in Gilgit-Baltistan has been set for June 14.
In line with an official notification, the election program earlier issued for the final elections to the Gilgit-Baltistan Meeting was withdrawn on December 18, 2025.
