Lahore:
Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) has exhibited Gilgit-Baltist Chief Minister Gulbar Khan together with 11 legislators and accused them of forming a forward block and vote against party politics in the regional assembly.
Termination messages, dated September 5, immediately declared the expulsions. The letters quoted “clear violations of party politics” that had harmed PTI’s interests and reputation.
Those who are deprived of membership include Chief Minister Gulbar Khan, Abdul Hameed, Haji Shah Baig, Mushtaq Ahmad, Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi, Shamsul Haq Lone, Dilshad Bano, Raja Nasir Ali Khan Maqpoon, Surayya Zaman, Raja Azam Khan Amacha, Raja Fazal.
The party also prevented them from using PTI’s name, flag or platform in any trait warned of litigation in the event of violations.
In a parallel move, PTI issued a message on showing a year to former Gilgit-Baltist Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon, claiming he conspired against the party and encouraged defects. He has been asked to respond in writing within two days.
The expulsions mark the latest chapter in PTI’s extended internal rift in the mountainous region. Gulable Khan, former PTI’s Minister of Health, became Chief Minister in July 2023, after Khalid Khurshid Khan was disqualified by GB Chief Court for allegedly holding a false jurist.
Khurshid’s disqualification opened the flooding gates as several PTI legislators broke down and paved the way for a coalition government that was sewn together by PTI’s defendants, along with PML-N and PPP. Yellow bar appeared as the consensus choice for Chief Minister.
Even before his election, reports suggested that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after he became with PPP leaders, had quietly laid the name of Gulbar in front of the valued castle.
However, PTI shouted mistakes. Its central media department condemned the development as nothing less than “the robbery of the public mandate in Gilgit-Baltistan in broad daylight”.
In the wake, the party served show reason announcements to 11 members who had thrown their party with yellow bar. Among them were yellow bar Khan himself, Amjad Zaidi, Shams Lone, Abdul Hameed, Dilshad Bano, Haji Shah Baig, Surayya Zaman and Raja Fazal Rahim, who all received a letter of notice on Thursday and marked a decisive break with the party.
