LAHORE - As campaigning gathers momentum for the June 7 Gilgit-Baltistan elections, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif has been cleared by election authorities to visit the region and take part in the party’s election drive amid an increasingly charged political atmosphere marked by allegations of pre-poll rigging and restrictions on opposition leaders.
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The Election Commission of Gilgit Baltistan has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) allowing Nawaz Sharif to visit the region for an election campaign currently being led by senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique. The approval was granted by the Chief Election Commissioner of Gilgit-Baltistan following a request submitted by the PML-N. According to officials, the former prime minister will undertake a one-day visit during which he will meet party leaders, candidates and ticket holders, besides reviewing election preparations and discussing strategies aimed at strengthening the party’s organisational structure in the region.
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In a post on X, Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said Nawaz Sharif would hold consultations with party representatives on the electoral process, public welfare initiatives and development priorities for Gilgit-Baltistan. Party leaders are also expected to brief him on the prevailing political situation and efforts to expand the party’s outreach ahead of the polls. The Election Commission, however, made it clear that the permission was subject to strict compliance with the election code of conduct and warned that any violation could lead to legal action.
Political observers view Nawaz Sharif’s visit as a significant boost to the PML-N campaign as the party seeks to strengthen its position in the strategically important region ahead of the crucial June 7 vote.
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Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is already in Gilgit-Baltistan leading his party’s campaign and holding meetings with local leaders and supporters in an effort to bolster the PPP’s electoral prospects. In contrast, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has alleged that its leaders have been prevented from campaigning freely in the region. PTI claims that its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president and National Assembly member Junaid Akbar Khan, along with several party workers, was stopped by authorities and later expelled from Gilgit-Baltistan while campaigning for the elections. PTI leader Asad Qaiser was also reportedly prevented from entering the region.
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The opposition party has accused authorities of creating an uneven electoral environment and alleged pre-poll rigging, claiming that its candidates are not being provided a level playing field. Gilgit-Baltistan authorities, however, have denied making formal arrests and maintained that action against PTI leaders was taken over alleged violations of the election code of conduct. The controversy has added a new dimension to an already competitive electoral contest among the PPP, PML-N and PTI, three parties that have each formed governments in Gilgit-Baltistan during their respective periods of political dominance.
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Tags: nawaz, election, campaign, political
