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TODAY'S PAPER | NOVEMBER 12, 2020

GB electioneering
Editorial | 12 Nov 2020    

ELECTIONEERING in Gilgit-Baltistan is
in full swing as the region prepares to go
to the polls on Sunday. Nearly all of the
country’s mainstream parties have hit
the campaign trail hard, dispatching
their top guns to the area in order to
woo voters. The PPP’s Bilawal Bhutto-
Zardari, the PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz as
well as federal ministers Ali Amin
Gandapur and Murad Saeed have all
addressed rallies, while the prime
minister himself was earlier in the
region to boost the chances of forming a
PTI government in the northern region.
While the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court
had earlier ordered all ‘public office
holders’ to leave the region for ‘violating’
the election’s code of conduct, this
prohibition was overturned by the
region’s Supreme Appellate Court,
allowing the parties to continue their
campaigns full throttle. Like in the rest
of Pakistan, election rallies have been
full of vitriol against opponents, as well
as promising the moon to local voters.

Historically, Gilgit-Baltistan has usually voted

for the party running the federal government in
Islamabad to ensure the region gains
maximum benefits. However, it remains to be
seen whether this will still be the case,
considering the PTI’s difficulties in running the
federal administration, and the opposition’s
sustained attempt to bring down the
government. But beyond the rhetoric,
whichever party comes to power in the region
will have to deliver to the people, and respond
to their legitimate demands. Gilgit-Baltistan’s
young, educated electorate is sick of lollipops
and wants to see progress on integrating their
area with the rest of Pakistan. The PTI has said
it will grant provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan.
Other parties have made similar promises.
Indeed, this option should definitely be
considered, without prejudice to the Kashmir
dispute. The fact is that the party that takes
power in Gilgit-Baltistan must do a lot to bring
good governance, jobs, health and education to
the region. It must not be ruled by remote
control from Islamabad and the elected
regional assembly should be empowered to
take major decisions. The area must be viewed
beyond the lens of geopolitics; residents of the
region participate in social, political and
economic activities across the country.
Therefore, it is their right to have provisional
representation in the national legislature, as
well as an empowered assembly in their own
region which can address the local population’s
issues. The winner of Sunday’s election will
have to include these points on its agenda.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2020