CM Afridi urges top GB court to ensure free and fair elections

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday urged the Chief Justice of the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) to intervene and ensure transparency, fairness and impartiality in the upcoming GB elections amid what he described as an “alarming” deterioration in the electoral environment.

The chief minister’s appeal came after noticing a series of reported incidents involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders during the ongoing election campaign in the mountainous region.

Earlier on Saturday, PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser claimed he was prevented from reaching Islamabad airport, causing him to miss his flight to Skardu where he was scheduled to participate in election campaign activities.

The incident came at a time when PTI MNA Junaid Akbar and his team were expelled from GB when they were campaigning ahead of the elections scheduled for June 7.

In a letter addressed to the chief justice, CM Afridi said reports emerging from GB regarding the electoral process were “extremely concerning” and warranted immediate judicial attention.

He alleged, as cited in Dawn News, that one political party was facing undue obstacles in carrying out routine electoral activities, including holding public gatherings, conducting campaign events and facilitating the movement of its leadership and workers.

The chief minister said that reports of political workers being harassed, unlawfully detained and prevented from engaging in political activities were “deeply troubling”.

He warned that if such practices continued unchecked, they could severely undermine the credibility, transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

The CM Afridi noted that Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees every political party and citizen the fundamental right to participate in free, fair, transparent and impartial elections. Any departure from these principles, he said, would not only violate constitutional provisions but would also run contrary to democratic norms.

He called on the court to issue clear directions to the relevant authorities to ensure free and fair elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, immediately halt the alleged harassment and unlawful restrictions on political workers, and restore equal political space for all political parties to conduct campaign activities without discrimination.

The letter also urged swift and effective action against any violations of constitutional and democratic rights during the electoral process, stressing the need to uphold the rule of law and protect electoral integrity.

Appealing to the court to exercise its constitutional mandate, the chief minister said timely judicial intervention was essential to safeguard democratic principles and restore public confidence in the electoral process.

CM Afridi expressed hope that prompt action by the court would help ensure credible, transparent and peaceful elections in the region.

Separately, the date for local government elections in Gilgit-Baltistan has been set for June 14.

According to an official notification, the election programme issued for the general elections to the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly was withdrawn on December 18, 2025.