by MANSOOR ALI in The Nation, Nov 13, 2020
GILGIT – Many parties in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) have accused the GB Election Commission of issuing fake postal ballot papers to government employees. The candidates from GB constituency of Diamar 2 have claimed that the total number of government employees in the mentioned constituency was 700 and the GB Election Commission had issued 1,791 ballot papers for government employees. The political parties have also threatened the GB Election Commission of a protest if the matter of fake postal ballot papers was not addressed before the polling. The parties including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and some independent candidates, through an application submitted to the GB Election Commissioner, have asked the commission to address issue of fake ballot papers otherwise, they will stage a sit-in in front of the GB Election Commission office.
The parties are of the view that the commission under immense pressure from the federal government had showed many common people as government employees and issued fake postal ballot papers just before the elections which is a clear pre-poll rigging.
Talking to The Nation before submitting the application to the GB Election Commission, JUI GB Chief Maulana Attaullah Shahab said that they had all proofs of fake ballot papers being issued by the Election Commission.
He stated that they had frequently asked the GB Chief Election Commissioner to stop this pre-poll rigging or get ready for strong protest.
Maulana Attaullah Shahab claimed that the government employees listed for performing duties in elections were 22,000 and election commission had allegedly issued postal ballot papers of 27,000 employees across GB.https://nation.com.pk/13-Nov-2020/gb-election-commissioner-accused-of-issuing-fake-postal-ballots
