Whilst the Nawaz League-PTI dispute over the 2013 elections remains unresolved, the federal government has managed to create an unnecessary controversy regarding upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan. Both the PPP and PTI have expressed apprehensions over appointment of the entire new political setup, from the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to governor and caretaker chief minister as well as caretaker cabinet dominated by the Nawaz League nominees. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khurshid Shah, recently raised the issue in a letter to the Prime Minister and also publicly gave vent to his worries saying "rigging in elections would definitely lead to a new crisis in the country." At a press conference on Sunday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan accused the government, even more vehemently, of having planned "blatant pre-poll rigging in Gilgit-Baltistan".
Notably, the last PPP-led coalition government granted full internal autonomy to the Northern Areas under the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, 2009. The formula used for national elections was to be replicated in GB for appointments to the office of CEC, and the caretakers. Accordingly, the present government selected CEC and caretaker CM after consultations with the PPP's sitting CM. The party, therefore, has a problem not with the appointment of a GB banker as caretaker CM but wants him to resign from the bank instead of seeking a three-month leave to take up his new assignment. The more serious objections raised by both the PPP and the PTI are: one, that the federal government has appointed its Minister for Kashmir and GB Affairs from Punjab as governor; and second, that of the 10-member caretaker cabinet, seven ministers belonging to the PML-N. These ministers have their own relatives participating in the legislative assembly elections, and are likely to be favoured by the former. Both objections are a valid ground for questioning the government's intentions.
Articulating his concerns, the PTI chairman pointed out that picking a federal minister from Punjab as Governor of GB was violation of Article 101(ii) of the Constitution that says "a person shall not be appointed a governor unless he... is a registered voter and resident of the province concerned." GB may not be a province of Pakistan because of its special status as being part of the unresolved question of Kashmir, yet it goes against the spirit of the principle of autonomy to bring in outsiders. The government needs to accord due respect to the area's people and appoint a local person as governor who must remain above party politics. Imran said his party has decided to challenge the appointments in the Supreme Court. He also threatened to "personally go to GB to lead protest demonstrations" if PTI's concerns are not addressed. It is still not too late for the PML-N government to redress the situation. It must hold discussions with the opposition parties and resolve the contentious issues to their satisfaction. The last thing this country needs is another political crisis.