PTI claims MNA Junaid Akbar, other leaders arrested during election campaign, later expelled from GB

The PTI alleged that its president in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, MNA Junaid Akbar and other party leaders were “arrested” in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday while campaigning for upcoming elections and later expelled from there. Initially the PTI claimed in a post on X that “PTI KP President Junaid Akbar, along with MNAs Saleemur Rehman, Amjab Ali Khan, Syed Mehboob Shah, MPA Naeem and […] Dr Nawaz were arrested by the GB government and administration at a check post when they were returning from the Ghizer district”. The party further alleged that the party leaders had been “taken to Gilgit”. The PTI also shared a video of the alleged arrest on X, in which Akbar and others were seen sitting inside what appeared to be a van. In the background, a man in a police uniform could also be seen. Akbar earlier posted on X that the PTI workers and supporters had reached Ghizer to hold a rally ahead of June 7 general elections in GB. In another post, he alleged that he and his companions were first stopped while they were travelling to Ghizer. He said the district administration told them that they lacked a “permit”. “Isn’t Gilgit-Baltistan a part of Pakistan? Why does a Pakistani need a no-objection certificate (NOC) to travel within their own country?” he questioned. “Fascist tactics and panic are a clear declaration of their defeat. If they lack the courage to compete in the field, then why stage this election drama? This open violation of constitutional rights and fascism will not be accepted under any circumstances,” he said. In a subsequent post, he added, “I was told to leave Gilgit as I don’t have an NOC, and now I have been stopped at the checkpost again. Is Gilgit-Baltistan not a part of Pakistan?” Later, Akbar, as well as the PT...

Original source: Dawn Pakistan