Observer Report
Islamabad
Referring to the two main opposition parties ‘rejection’ of the Gilgit-Baltistan election results, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz questioned on Tuesday whether those calling for the vote to be respected were even ready to respect it themselves.
As unofficial results of the G-B election showed unfavourable outcomes for the Pakistan Peoples Party, the party’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari threatened to take ‘extreme and difficult path’ if the alleged rigging was not reversed.
The Pakistan Muslim Leauge-N, whose popular slogan the information minister was referring to, also accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government of having ‘rigged’ the elections.
The incumbent government emerged as the victor in the G-B polls as the party and its ally, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, managed to secure at least 11 seats, according to unofficial and unconfirmed results.
The PTI bagged 10 seats, independent candidates won seven, PPP managed to clinch three and PML-N two. “All the survey polls in G-B had shown Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s lead and Imran Khan as the popular leader,” the information minister said in a tweet.
Minister Faraz added that Bilawal’s emotional statements were devoid of logic and facts, and that the opposition had to give up the unhealthy tradition of not conceding defeat after elections.
“Such an attitude is against democratic values, so those lecturing on democracy should adopt democratic norms,” he added. “How could those who did nothing for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan in the last 10 years get votes?”
