Bilawal Bhutto demands free and fair elections in Gilgit Baltistan

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday demanded “free and fair elections” in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) so that the people of the region can “decide their own future”.

In a series of tweets, Bilawal reminded the people that former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1974 had introduced reforms in GB by abolishing the Frontier Crimes Regulation Act and Raajgi System in the region.

He added that his mother and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 1994 had given the first legal framework order and, then in 2009, former president Asif Ali Zardari gave “GB its name, empowered its assembly & more”.

“I promised more rights to the people of GB in our 2018 election manifesto. We now demand free & fair elections in GB so the people of GB can decide their own future,” said Bilawal. He added that the PPP would run its 2020 election in the region on “the same manifesto” to make “GB’s dream a reality”.

He also asked people to download the PPP manifesto 2018 and see the reforms that his party has promised for GB.

The PPP chairman took to Twitter to announce the start of his party's campaign for the GB polls a day after President Arif Alvi approved general elections of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly on November 15.

The president signed the summary sent for approval by the Prime Minister, the President House said.

The GB Legislative Assembly was dissolved on completion of its term on June 24, after which a caretaker government was formed.

The earlier scheduled elections for August 18 were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.