ISLAMABAD : Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Senator Shibli Faraz expressing his surprise has said that those raising slogans regarding the sanctity of vote are not ready to respect the ballot of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. In a series of tweets on Tuesday, the information minister urged the opposition parties to shun the bad tradition of not accepting election defeat, saying this posture is contrary to democratic norms. Referring to the two main opposition parties’ rejection of the Gilgit-Baltistan election results, Faraz questioned whether those calling for the vote to be respected were even ready to respect it themselves. He said those delivering lectures on democracy should adopt democratic conduct. The minister said the emotional statements of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari are devoid of facts and logic. He reminded that all the surveys showed the lead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Gilgit-Baltistan with Prime Minister Imran Khan as the most popular leader.
As unofficial results of the G-B election showed unfavourable outcomes for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the party’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari threatened to take an ‘extreme and difficult path’ if the alleged rigging was not reversed. The Pakistan Muslim Leauge – Nawaz (PML-N), whose popular slogan the information minister was referring to, also accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) 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 (MWM), 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. TLTP
