ISLAMABAD:
The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) on Thursday finalized its electoral strategy for the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan elections and announced candidates for nine seats in the first phase.
The decisions were taken at a meeting of the party’s 20-member Election Board, chaired by its chairman Abdul Aleem Khan, held here to review preparations for the June 7 elections, according to a press release.
Accordingly, the names of Maulana Sultan Rais, Fatahullah Khan, Captain (r) Shafi Ullah Khan, Emaan Shah and Raja Jalal Hussain have been finalized while Shams-ul-Haq Lone, Haji Shah Baig, Haji Gulbar Khan and Khan Akbar Khan will also be eligible for IPP tickets.
The party’s electoral board is expected to announce the remaining candidates for the remaining electoral districts in the coming days.
IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan stated that consultations have been decided on a possible electoral alliance between Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and Islam Tehreek Pakistan in the Gilgit-Baltistan general elections.
Furthermore, the Party’s future course of action will also be determined in view of the strategies of other political parties.
The meeting also decided that the Party would soon finalize the names of its candidates for the 9 seats reserved for women and technocrats.
Abdul Aleem Khan said that the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party is participating in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections strongly and effectively, adding that IPP members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, senior leaders and members of the Party will embark on an election tour of Gilgit-Baltistan next week.
During the Election Board meeting chaired by Party President Abdul Aleem Khan, senior Party leaders briefed the participants about the electoral situation of Gilgit-Baltistan so far.
National Assembly members Aun Chaudhry and Gul Asghar Baghur joined the meeting via video link, while MNA Munnaza Hassan attended in person. IPP Central General Secretary Mian Khalid Mahmood, Punjab President Rana Nazir Ahmad Khan, Central Secretary Information Syed Samsam Ali Bukhari, Punjab Assembly Member Ghazanfar Abbas Chhina and Lahore Speaker Malik Zaman Naseeb were also present in the meeting. GG Jamal from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also participated, while Syed Raffaqat Ali Gilani from South Punjab and Mamoon Jafar Tarar and Yawar Kamal from Central Punjab. From Gilgit-Baltistan, Haji Gulbar Khan, Raja Jalal, Shams-ul-Haq Lone and Fateh Ullah Khan were present at the Election Board meeting of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party.
The participants expressed their views from different perspectives and reaffirmed their full confidence in the leadership of Abdul Aleem Khan, expressing optimism that the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party will achieve significant success in the June 7 Gilgit-Baltistan general elections.
