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Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi met a federal negotiating team led by Ahsan Iqbal and presented a series of complaints regarding what he described as unfair treatment of the province by the federal government.

During the meeting, the participants discussed a range of intergovernmental matters, including consultation and a meeting with Imran Khan, the upcoming National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, the province’s financial and constitutional rights, development funds for merged districts, energy issues, wheat supply, hydropower projects, and other important matters.

The chief minister told the federal delegation that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been subjected to continuous discriminatory and unjust treatment. He warned that participation in the NEC meeting could become difficult if the province continued to be denied its constitutional and financial rights.

He said consultation with Imran Khan was essential on budget-related decisions and national issues, arguing that political parties traditionally seek guidance from their leadership before making important decisions.

Sohail Afridi stated that the NFC share allocated to the merged districts had been withheld for the past eight years, which he described as unconstitutional and harmful to development and public welfare in those areas.

He also expressed disappointment that meetings with federal representatives had not resulted in solutions and instead led to further grievances for the province.

The chief minister said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would not give up their constitutional rights and urged the federal government to reconsider its approach toward the province.

He also raised concerns regarding obstacles in the supply of wheat from Punjab, the province’s gas rights, and issues related to hydropower projects.

According to him, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces more than 500 MMCFD of gas daily, while provincial consumption is around 150 MMCFD, yet residents continue to face gas shortages and load-shedding. He described the situation as contrary to constitutional requirements and the principle of equitable distribution of resources.

The chief minister further highlighted the case of a completed dam project in Swat, stating that it had not been made operational because Chinese engineers had not been issued the required NOC.

He also noted that a completed bus terminal project remained non-operational due to the absence of an NOC from the National Highway Authority.

He added that if Punjab was unwilling to provide wheat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, then Articles 151 and 158 of the Constitution should be abolished, arguing that these provisions guarantee interprovincial trade, free movement, and fair utilization of resources.

He stressed that the Constitution should be implemented fully and without discrimination.

The chief minister called on the federal government to ensure the immediate provision of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s constitutional, financial, and developmental rights and to take practical steps to resolve the province’s longstanding issues.

During the meeting, Ahsan Iqbal assured participants that the NOC required for the bus terminal project would be issued within 24 hours.

okay He also pledged to raise the province’s concerns, demands, and issues before the prime minister and other relevant federal forums and to play a role in addressing them.

Islamabad: Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, has alleged that the Gilgit-Baltistan election results were manipulated, claiming that the polls were not conducted in a transparent manner.

Speaking to journalists, Raja Nasir Abbas said that delays in the announcement of results and the promotion of specific outcomes raised serious questions about the electoral process.

He further alleged that a blackout in Gilgit-Baltistan was an attempt to conceal facts related to the elections.

He claimed that the public mandate had been undermined and that election results were distributed through unfair means.

According to him, candidates affiliated with PTI were not provided equal opportunities to participate in the electoral process.

The opposition leader also alleged that political interference and ground-level pressure affected the election environment.

He said that growing deprivation in Gilgit-Baltistan and attempts to gain control over resources remained major concerns.

Raja Nasir Abbas further stated that the practice of toppling elected governments and changing political loyalties had continued, adding that genuine public representatives were being prevented from coming forward.

He also alleged that those responsible for economic hardship and the political crisis had once again been imposed on the people.

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, declaring them “fake” and marred by rigging, and has announced protests and the release of a white paper against the alleged electoral irregularities.

Speaking at a press conference, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that a “Black Day” would be observed in Gilgit-Baltistan on the day elected members take oath.

According to Barrister Gohar, the party currently possesses Form 47 documents from three constituencies. He claimed that PTI was on course to secure victory in eight seats and that the results should have been reflected through Form 47.

He further stated that manipulation of votes and preventing people from exercising their right to vote constituted a conspiracy against democracy. He alleged that pre-poll rigging had taken place and that PTI had been excluded from the electoral process under a specific plan.

Barrister Gohar also claimed that 70 percent of Pakistanis currently support PTI.

GILGIT: Voting for the fourth general elections of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly concluded at 5:00 pm on Sunday, after which the process of receiving preliminary and unofficial results began across the region’s constituencies.

According to preliminary and unofficial results, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has secured victory on two Assembly seats in Skardu. In constituency GB-7 Skardu, Syed Touqeer Mehdi Shah emerged successful, while Raja Nasir Ali Khan won from GB-10 Skardu.

A total of 396 candidates contested the elections for 24 constituencies across Gilgit-Baltistan. Following the close of polling, unofficial and preliminary results from various polling stations have continued to emerge.

Based on the results received so far, the Pakistan Peoples Party is currently leading in six constituencies. The party has shown strong performance in Gilgit, Nagar, Skardu, and Shigar.

Meanwhile, independent candidates appear to be leading in five constituencies across Ghanche, Ghizer, and Diamer districts.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is also maintaining an advantage in three constituencies located in Gilgit, Ghizer, and Ghanche, according to the preliminary and unofficial results received so far.

The counting process remains underway, and more unofficial results are expected as vote tabulation continues across the region.

Also Read: Federal Budget May Face Further Delay Amid PPP Concerns Over Development Funds

The Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan has directed presiding officers to provide copies of Form 45 to polling agents.

According to the Election Commission’s instructions, presiding officers must provide each polling agent with one certified copy of Form 45. Returning officers of all 24 constituencies have been directed to ensure implementation of the instructions.

The Election Commission said the provision of Form 45 must be ensured in accordance with the Elections Act and Rules 2017. It said the instructions should be followed to maintain transparency in the electoral process and to ensure that the transmission and announcement of results are completed smoothly.

The Election Commission further directed all returning officers to ensure full compliance with the instructions.

Meanwhile, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan, while speaking to the media, said elections in Gilgit-Baltistan were held in a peaceful environment. He said more than 15,000 personnel were deployed for security.

Raja Shahbaz Khan said the public cast their votes in a peaceful atmosphere and thanked the people for actively participating in the electoral process.

He said he visited various polling stations to review the electoral process, adding that no complaint had been received.

The federal budget may face another delay as unresolved issues between two major coalition parties continue to create uncertainty ahead of the parliamentary budget session, according to sources in the federal government.

A summary has been sent to convene sessions of both houses of Parliament; however, official notifications have not yet been issued. The date for presenting the federal budget has already been extended from June 5 to June 10.

Sources said that if matters between the two key coalition partners are not resolved, the presentation of the federal budget could be delayed further.

According to media reports, the Pakistan Peoples Party has raised objections over the restructuring of the BISP programme and the handling of priority development projects. The issues causing disagreement include the K-IV project, lack of funds for development works, and the Sukkur-Karachi Motorway project.

Sources said the PPP’s position is that the government is providing funds to only one province, while the remaining three provinces are not being given funds. The construction of the M-6 Motorway is among the PPP’s top priorities.

According to media reports, PPP is insisting on the inclusion of its proposed projects in the Public Sector Development Programme.

Ahead of the budget session, a meeting of the standing committees on communications and planning has also been convened regarding the M-6 project. A joint meeting of the Senate Standing Committees on Communications and Planning will be held tomorrow.

The Secretary Communications has been asked to provide a detailed briefing on the construction and funding of the M-6 project.

Also Read: Internet Services Suspended in Gilgit Ahead of GB Assembly Elections

Polling for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections concluded at 5:00 pm on Sunday, and the counting of votes has begun across all 24 constituencies of the regional legislature.

A total of 403 candidates contested the elections, including 396 male and eight female candidates. Voters turned out in large numbers throughout the day, with long queues observed at various polling stations as citizens waited to cast their ballots. Polling continued uninterrupted from morning until the scheduled closing time.

During the polling process, a dispute was reported in Skardu after unrelated individuals approached a polling station. Police intervened and brought the situation under control. Meanwhile, complaints regarding slow polling procedures were reported at several polling stations in Astore.

Chief Election Commissioner Gilgit-Baltistan Raja Shahbaz visited various polling stations and said polling commenced on time, adding that voters were participating enthusiastically in the electoral process.

According to the Election Commission, a total of 1,391 polling stations were established across all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Of these, 349 were declared sensitive and 551 highly sensitive.

For the 24 Assembly seats, the Pakistan Peoples Party fielded 23 candidates, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) entered 22 candidates. The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party fielded 15 candidates, Pakistan Muslim League 11, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) nine candidates.

Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) fielded seven candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) each entered six candidates in the race. Additionally, 266 independent candidates contested the elections from different constituencies.

Comprehensive security arrangements were put in place to ensure peaceful elections. Heavy deployments of local police, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts and Punjab Police personnel remained on duty throughout the polling process. Law enforcement agencies also conducted flag marches in electoral constituencies as part of security measures.