GB by-election: PTI protests outside RO’s office for delaying result

ASTORE: The official result of the Gilgit-Baltistan by-election in Astore has not been issued despite the clear victory of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate.

PTI candidate Justice (retired) Khurshid Khan won the by-election in Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly’s seat GBLA-13 Astore-1. However, the Returning Officer is yet to announce the official result as PTI workers protested over the delay outside his office.

The PTI workers said that despite the passage of a day, the returning officer is not announcing the result which is unfair. They warned that if the result is not announced then they will be forced to make further plans.

PTI GB President Khalid Khurshid Khan has sent a message to party workers and leaders from all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan to reach Astore immediately. He announced to continue the sit-in outside the Returning Officer’s office until the results are announced.

Despite the clear victory of PTI by 1267 votes, it is a conspiracy to withhold the result till now, he said. Khalid Khurshid said the Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan and the District Returning Officer, Returning Officer should announce the result immediately.

Thousands of workers started protest demonstrations outside the office of the Returning Officer in Astore. They said that the officials would be responsible for whatever happens because of the injustice.

A day ago, PTI candidate Khurshid Khan won the by-election in Astore. He is the father of former GB chief minister Khalid Khurshid Khan who was disqualified from the seat.

According to unofficial results, PTI’s Khurshid Khan secured 6,219 votes, PML-N’s Rana Farman Ali received 5,225 votes and PPP’s Abdul Hameed Khan bagged 4,079 votes in the by-polls.

There were at least 14 candidates, including nine independent candidates in the run for by-election. The seat fell vacant after Gilgit-Baltistan’s former chief minister Khalid Khurshid was disqualified in a fake degree case.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has de-notified Khalid Khurshid as Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan and declared the seat vacant. Khalid Khurshid has been in office since December 2020 and is a close aide of PTI chairman Imran Khan.

Also Read

GB govt rejects ‘baseless’ speculations over deploying army

GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Home Department has rejected speculation regarding the deployment of the...