Gilgit Baltistan chief election commissioner hits out at Bilawal, says polls were transparent

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Shahbaz on Thursday lashed out at PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, saying that the recently-held elections in the region were transparent.

Shahbaz, addressing a press conference, said: "[PPP chairman] Bilawal had been ranting about rigging the past one month [...] What is rigging? is it a feather? a tail? What is it?"

The CEC said some parties were tarnishing the elections' results, advising all candidates and stakeholders with grievances, who were busy speaking to the media, should approach the election tribunal instead.

He urged political leaders to refrain from making "baseless allegations" adding that such claims were not in the interest of the region and the people.

Read more: 'Women were not allowed to vote in Gilgit Baltistan under a conspiracy'

"Elections have been transparent and impartial," he added.

His statement comes in the wake of criticism levelled by Opposition parties who have rejected the November 15 elections, using words from "rigged" to "stolen" to describe them .

Earlier in the day, PPP Chairman had said that his party bagged highest number of votes in the recently held Gilgit Baltistan elections.

Bilawal, in a tweet, had shared the graph of the percentage of votes secured by the political parties in the GB elections.

According to the graph, the PPP secured 25% of votes, PTI 24% of votes, PML-N secured 12% votes, JUI-F 1% votes, MWM secured 3% votes and independent candidates secured 15% of votes out of the total number of votes polled in the GB elections.

Read more: FAFEN says Gilgit Baltistan elections were 'orderly' but had problems with results management

He added that despite not having a "level-playing field", the PPP has secured the largest number of votes in the polls.

'Partial conduct'

Moreover, in-charge of central election cell of PPP Taj Haider had said that Shahbaz, instead of taking action against the law breakers belonging to the federal government, is asking the opposition to provide proofs against them.

“This attitude is enough proof of the partial conduct of the Chief Election Commissioner Gilgit-Baltistan himself,” he had said in a statement on Tuesday. 

Read more: Bilawal says PPP received highest no of votes in GB elections

Haider questioned as to why they should give proof of the open and blatant violation of electoral law by federal minister for Kashmir Affairs who ran a full-fledged campaign for his party and made promises of overseeing development works to the electorate. 

“Shall we give proof of his making appointments of a candidate as his adviser a week ahead of the polling day,” he asked.

'Fake results'

On Wednesday, speaking of the GB elections recently PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz had said people came out in droves to support the PML-N and the "tiger" (PML-N's election symbol) was visible everywhere, as far as the eye could see.

Maryam claimed "no one is willing to accept the fake results" of the polls.

She said that in 2018, "pre-poll rigging brought the selected government into power", but this time around, "despite rigging" they were unable to have the "fake government" win by a majority, attributing it to Nawaz Sharif's narrative that had "reached people far and wide".

Gilgit Baltistan Election 2020: 'Opposition could've won majority by jointly contesting polls'

"Now he will not be able to win even with rigging. And despite stealing PML-N candidates, stealing elections, and after having representatives installed for months in Gilgit Baltistan, how many seats did you win? After all that you did. Only eight."

The PML-N vice president claimed that even these eight people are PML-N turncoats.