FM Qureshi terms GB polls transparent and fair

ISLAMABAD: Turning down the opposition’s allegations, Foreign Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday termed the recent polls in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) fair and transparent, ARY News reported.

Talking to journalists, FM Qureshi said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government has laid the foundation for credible and transparent polls in Gilgit-Baltistan.

He said that the people of GB rejected the narrative of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the elections. The foreign minister praised the people for casting their votes despite heavy snowfall in the area.

Responding to a question, the foreign minister said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was peddling the narrative of the country’s enemies. He said that the PDM wanted to create anarchy in the country.

Earlier on November 15, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gilgit-Baltistan Raja Shehbaz Khan had telephoned the chief secretary GB to discuss the law and order situation during ongoing general elections in the region.

Both the officials had discussed the process of polling and the situation of the sensitive polling stations in the region. The GB CS had apprised the CEC that polling was underway in a peaceful manner in Diamer and other sensitive declared polling stations.

CEC Raja Shehbaz Khan had expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by the local administration to maintain law and order situation and lauded their efforts.