Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday appealed to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) to intervene and ensure that the forthcoming elections in the region are conducted with full transparency, fairness, and impartiality. He expressed serious concern over what he described as a troubling decline in the electoral environment.
The chief minister’s call for judicial intervention followed multiple reports of incidents involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders during the ongoing election campaign in the mountainous territory. Notably, PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser alleged that he was barred from accessing Islamabad airport, which caused him to miss his flight to Skardu where he was set to participate in campaign events.
Meanwhile, PTI Member of National Assembly Junaid Akbar and his team were reportedly expelled from Gilgit-Baltistan while campaigning ahead of the elections scheduled for June 7. These incidents have raised alarm over the electoral process.
In a letter addressed to the chief justice, CM Afridi described the emerging reports from GB as extremely concerning and deserving of urgent judicial scrutiny. He accused one political party of facing undue restrictions in conducting basic electoral activities such as holding public gatherings, organizing campaign events, and moving freely with its leadership and workers.
The chief minister highlighted allegations of political workers being harassed, unlawfully detained, and obstructed from participating in political activities, describing these actions as deeply troubling. He warned that if such practices persist, they could seriously damage the credibility, transparency, and integrity of the election process.
CM Afridi emphasized that Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees every political party and citizen the fundamental right to participate in elections that are free, fair, transparent, and impartial. Any deviation from these principles would not only violate constitutional provisions but also undermine democratic norms.
He urged the court to issue clear directives to the relevant authorities to ensure free and fair elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, immediately stop the alleged harassment and unlawful restrictions on political workers, and restore equal political space for all parties to campaign without discrimination.
The letter further called for swift and effective action against any violations of constitutional and democratic rights during the electoral process, stressing the importance of upholding the rule of law and preserving electoral integrity.
Appealing for the court to exercise its constitutional mandate, CM Afridi stated that timely judicial intervention was critical to protecting democratic principles and restoring public trust in the elections. He expressed hope that prompt action by the judiciary would contribute to credible, transparent, and peaceful elections in the region.
In a related development, the date for local government elections in Gilgit-Baltistan has been set for June 14. An official notification also confirmed that the election schedule for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly general elections, previously issued, was withdrawn on December 18, 2025.
