Asad Qaiser says barred from reaching Skardu for GB election campaign

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Asad Qaiser on Saturday accused authorities of blocking his travel to Gilgit-Baltistan, saying he was stopped from reaching Islamabad airport and missed his scheduled flight to Skardu for an election campaign.

Qaiser told a news conference in Islamabad that he was en route to Skardu, where “all political parties are going” to participate in the ongoing campaign for the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections scheduled for June 7.

“Today I was supposed to go to Skardu. Other political leaders, including Bilawal Zardari, have also gone there,” he said, adding that he was not allowed to travel.

He alleged that Punjab police stopped him from proceeding towards the airport and effectively placed him under restriction until his flight had departed.

“The Punjab police stopped me from going to Gilgit-Baltistan,” Qaiser said, adding that he was also prevented from entering the airport area.

Qaiser termed the incident an attempt to obstruct political activity, saying that all political parties should be provided a “level playing field” during the election campaign.

“I demand from the Chief Election Commissioner that all political parties must be given a level playing field,” he said. “If a level playing field cannot be provided to everyone, then they should resign from their post.”

The PTI leader said that such actions undermined electoral fairness and urged authorities to ensure equal opportunity for all political parties participating in the GB elections.

His remarks come amid rising political tensions in the run-up to the GB polls, with several parties alleging restrictions on campaigning in the region.

The allegations could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate official response from Punjab or Islamabad police regarding Qaiser’s claims.

Earlier, PTI MNA Junaid Akbar and his team were reportedly expelled from Ghizer district during campaigning activities, though authorities denied arrests and said they were removed for violating the election code of conduct.

Meanwhile, Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique on Saturday said he missed his flight to Skardu, accusing Rawalpindi police of blocking traffic towards Islamabad airport, according to a social media post.

Rafique said he was scheduled to travel to Skardu for his party’s election campaign in Gilgit-Baltistan but was unable to board the flight due to what he described as a traffic blockade on routes leading to the airport.

He said he and at least 12 other passengers missed their flights as a result of the disruption.

The former railways minister said no “reasonable explanation” was provided for the traffic situation, adding that airline staff had closed boarding gates earlier than scheduled despite the delays caused by the road closures.

Rafique also claimed that passengers, including women, children and elderly individuals, were left waiting in extreme weather conditions.

He criticised what he called “indifference and incompetence” by the authorities, saying the situation caused unnecessary hardship for travellers.

Rawalpindi police did not immediately respond to the allegations.

The GB elections, scheduled for June 7, have seen intensified campaigning by major political parties including PTI, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).