GB's SAC suspends top court's verdict on expelling lawmakers from region

(Karachi) Gilgit Baltistan's Supreme Appellate Court has suspended region's chief court judgment directing lawmakers and ministers to leave the region and barring them from taking part in election campaign, local media reported on Monday.

The Supreme Appellate Court's verdict comes in wake of writ petition filed by PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto over violation of the code of conduct ahead of the GB polls.

On November 7, the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court ordered federal ministers and government officials to leave region in three days over violation of code of conduct ahead of the upcoming polls. The court also directed Chief Election Commissioner of GB Raja Shahbaz Khan, Chief Minister, and Chief Secretary to implement the decision immediately.

Earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman had accused Prime Minister Imran Khan and federal ministers for violating code of conduct during their campaign and urged CEC to take notice.

She said that the prime minister and a federal minister are running the campaign of their party illegally in Gilgit-Baltistan, which is clear violation of the code of conduct of the elections and a pre-polling rigging.

She added that the ministers were addressing corner meeting and announcing development projects during their campaign – which are not allowed after the announcement of the election schedule.