LAHORE:
The Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) has expelled Gilgit-Baltistan prime minister, Gulbar Khan, along with 11 legislators, accusing them of forming an advanced block and voting against the party’s policy in the Regional Assembly.
The termination notices, dated September 5, declared that the expulsions are immediately effective. The letters cited “clear violations of the party policy” that had harmed PTI’s interests and reputation.
Membership stripped include Main 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, and Raja Fazahim.
The party also forbade them to use the name, flag or PTI platform in any capacity, warning about legal actions in case of violations.
In a parallel movement, PTI issued a cause of cause to the former governor of Gilgit-Baltistan, Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon, claiming that he conspired against the party and encouraged defections. He has been asked to respond in writing in two days.
The expulsions mark the last chapter in the growing internal crack of PTI in the mountainous region. Gulbar Khan, previously PTI’s Minister of Health, became Prime Minister in July 2023 after Khalid Khurshid Khan was disqualified by the main court of GB for allegedly having a false lawyer title.
Khurshid’s disqualification opened the gates when several PTI legislators broke ranges, racing the way for a coalition government attached to the deserters of the PTI, along with PML-N and PPP. Gulbar emerged as the election of consensus for the main minister.
Even before their choice, the reports suggested that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after curling PPP leaders, had silent Gulbar’s name for the precious space.
However, the PTI cried badly. His central media department denounced development as nothing less than the “theft of the public mandate in Gilgit-Baltistan in broad daylight.”
Then, the party delivered display causes to 11 members who had thrown their fate with Gulbar. Among them were Gulbar Khan himself, Amjad Zaidi, Shams Lone, Abdul Hameed, Dilshad Bano, Haji Shah Baig, Surayya Zaman and Fazal Rahim Raja, all of which received termination letters on Thursday, marking a decisive break with the group.
