Is Gilgit-Baltistan Election Playing Field Truly Fair?
News Desk
Islamabad: As election activity intensifies in Gilgit-Baltistan ahead of the June 7 polls, major political parties are raising concerns over access, campaigning conditions, and what they describe as an uneven “level playing field” during the electoral process.
Whether You Vote or Not, I Will Still Speak for You, Says Nawaz
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has said that Gilgit-Baltistan holds central importance in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), adding that no other political party has undertaken comparable development projects in the region.
Addressing party workers in Gilgit, he criticised the condition of infrastructure, particularly roads near the airport, and questioned delays in completing earlier development projects. He also raised concerns over the utilisation of development funds.
He said the road project initiated during his tenure should have been extended to Khunjerab and stressed that development should continue regardless of electoral outcomes.
“Whether you vote or not, I will still speak for you,” he said, adding that he would direct Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to prioritise development in Gilgit-Baltistan, including airport expansion and improved air connectivity.
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Nawaz Sharif also announced he would personally monitor development projects in the region and visit Gilgit-Baltistan every few months.
Earlier, he arrived in Gilgit along with a large delegation of federal ministers and senior party leaders. According to PML-N sources, he will meet candidates and address organisational meetings as part of the campaign.
Opposition Raises Concerns Over Campaign Environment
Alongside PML-N’s campaign activity, opposition parties have voiced concerns about the fairness of the electoral environment in Gilgit-Baltistan, alleging that state resources and administrative influence are being used in ways that may affect competition between political parties.
PPP leaders have criticised what they describe as unequal access to the political space during campaigning, arguing that such conditions undermine transparency and the principle of fair elections.
Bilawal Bhutto Calls for Peace
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he prays for the success of efforts aimed at ending conflict and restoring peace, speaking at a rally in Skardu.
He said he has remained actively engaged in Gilgit-Baltistan politics and expressed concern over global tensions, including the situation involving Iran, stressing the importance of peace initiatives.
Bilawal said the PPP represents marginalised communities and criticised economic inequality, adding that welfare programmes such as the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) play a key role in supporting vulnerable families.
He said attempts to weaken BISP would fail and expressed confidence that funding for the programme would increase in the upcoming budget.
He also referred to his party’s historical role in national development and institutional reforms in Gilgit-Baltistan.
PPP Alleges Use of State Resources in Elections
PPP leader Shazia Marri has accused the federal government of using state resources in the Gilgit-Baltistan election campaign.
She said the presence of federal ministers in campaign activities raises serious questions about fairness and equal opportunity for all parties.
According to her, such practices undermine the credibility of the electoral process and challenge the idea of a level playing field.
She also defended Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s comments regarding electoral documentation, stating that Form 45 remains a key instrument for transparency before the issuance of Form 47.
PTI Delegation Stopped in Diamer
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central General Secretary Salman Akram Raja was stopped by authorities in Diamer while travelling to Gilgit-Baltistan for election campaigning.
Police said Salman Akram Raja, along with Shaukat Basra, Ziauddin Qureshi and others, was sent back from the area.
The PTI delegation was reportedly travelling to participate in election-related activities, further adding to concerns raised by opposition parties about restrictions on political movement and campaign access during the ongoing electoral process.
Shazia Mehboob, an Islamabad-based journalist and IR scholar, said that in a democratic system, all political parties, including PTI, should be provided equal opportunity and a level playing field to access the public and demonstrate their political strength. However, she added that the ground situation in Gilgit-Baltistan reflects a pattern similar to previous national elections, where certain parties are facilitated while others face restrictions.
She argued that, in such circumstances, it cannot be concluded that the GB elections are fully fair and transparent. In politically polarised regions like Gilgit-Baltistan, she emphasised, direct engagement with voters through rallies and public gatherings is essential. She maintained that when one political party is facilitated and another is restricted, the credibility of elections as free and fair is brought into question.
