Metro53 - GUJRAT: Senior leader of Jamaat-e-Islami North Punjab and president of the region’s Alkhidmat and Mili Yakjehti Council, Dr Tariq Saleem, has alleged that the electoral contest in Gilgit-Baltistan amounted to a “staged confrontation” between two ruling parties and urged authorities to ensure impartial elections across the country.
Speaking to media representatives before departing for Pakistan following a visit to the United Kingdom, Dr Saleem said public confidence in the electoral process could only be restored through transparent and unbiased elections. He stressed that power should be handed over to those genuinely elected by the people.
He maintained that citizens were capable of holding political leaders accountable through the ballot box and warned that Pakistan was passing through a particularly sensitive period. Referring to regions including Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, he said public opinion must be respected to avoid repeating mistakes that had led to national crises in the past.
Dr Saleem argued that the state should act responsibly to ease tensions rather than allow them to escalate. He said that in the age of social media, political dynamics were rapidly evolving and that restrictions on public gatherings and freedom of expression might influence electoral outcomes but could not suppress public sentiment indefinitely.
The Jamaat-e-Islami leader further stated that Pakistan’s progress depended on credible and impartial elections. He described his party as a democratic political force with a presence in many countries around the world.
Expressing concern over security and governance challenges, Dr Saleem claimed that regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir were facing increasing external interference. He urged the government to address emerging challenges before the situation worsened further.
