Shia majority Gilgit-Baltistan foresee manipulated Elections 2015

News Analysis

By Eye Ali

People of Gilgit-Baltistan foresee unfair Elections to Legislative Assembly because of government-sponsored partial caretaker set-up that includes Chaudhry Barjees Tahir who is Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan and also named in ruling PMLN’s Parliamentary Board that is devising electoral course of action for G-B.

The Nation carried Pakistan’s official news agency (APP’s) story dated January 20 this year. That news from Islamabad said that: “The first meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Gilgit-Baltistan Parliamentary Board held here on Monday proposed to hold election in May this year. The meeting chaired by PML-N Chairman Raja Zafar ul Haq, termed that any delay in the elections would not help strengthen democratic system in Gilgit-Baltistan, besides serving public interests. The board deliberated on proposals regarding socio-political and economic reforms in the Gilgit-Baltistan, which would be presented in its next meeting.”

That report further said: “The meeting was attended among others by Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Chaudhry Berjees Tahir and PML-N Secretary General Zafar Iqbal Jhagra.”

Chaudhry Barjees Tahir, member of the PMLN’s Parliamentary Board and Federal Minister for AJK and G-B affairs was appointed as Governor Gilgit-Baltistan next month (in February). The Parliamentary Board was constituted in December 2014.

And a banker was already appointed caretaker chief minister of the G-B last year. If such a set-up was brought in Iraq or Syria, Deobandis, Wahhabis and all pro-takfiris would have given it sectarian colour. Gilgit-Baltistan is a Shia majority province. Shia Twelvers (Isna Ashari) are single largest majority and Shia Ismailis and Noor Bakhti, are also have a considerable presence in the G-B’s demography. During PPP Government an Ismaili notable was appointed Governor and Mehdi Shah was a PPP’s Shia leader who served as Chief Minister.

Why Shia majority province is denied democratic right to its majority. Syrian government cabinet comprises of over 30 members and 22 are Sunni Arabs, Prime Minister is Sunni Arab, Speaker Parliament is Sunni Arab but Pakistani Deobandis always objected to Syrian regime because President Bashar al Assad is Alawi despite the fact that his wife also is a Sunni Arab. See Iraq, Mosul and al-Anbar province’s Governors and officials are Sunni Arabs but Deobandis and Wahhabis-Salafis mostly takfiris conduct media trial of Iraqi government because Prime Minister of Shia majority Iraq is Shia Arab Muslim.

PMLN always backed Deobandis and Deobandis never remained loyal to Nawaz Sharif or Shahbaz Sharif. PMLN always tried to bow to Saudi monarchy but they humiliated him and backed military coup of General Pervez Musharraf against his government in 1999. Saudis further affronted Nawaz Sharif, PMLN’s head and now Prime Minister of Pakistan for third time when Saudi Prince Muqrin and Lebanese Saad Hariri arrived in Islamabad and exposed that they mediated for a deal and Sharif Brothers of PMLN were bound to return Saudi Arabia for exile.

But, PMLN has not repented for past mistakes and again patronizing Deobandis and Wahhabis who are involved in takfiri fanaticism and terrorism. Why PMLN government didn’t form an impartial democratic caretaker set up in Gilgit-Baltistan? Why should we not oppose the marginalization of Shia Muslims in Shia majority Gilgit-Baltistan? Is it not double standard on part of Deobandis and Wahhabis and their supporters and patrons?

Now we may read one sentence of APP’s story of January 2015 that the “board renewed the pledge of the federal government to bring GB at par with the developed areas of the country and to continue efforts for promoting harmony in the area.”

Is this promotion of harmony or sectarian disharmony that the Pakistan’s Nawaz-led government has pursued so far? Not a single Shia Muslim is Chief Minister or Governor in any four provinces of Pakistan. Neither Chairman of Senate, nor Speaker of National Assembly is Shia Muslims. Neither President nor Prime Minister is Shia Muslim. Please don’t compare yourself with Iranian political system because 5% Sunni Iranians have 19 Parliamentarians in National Assembly there in current term and it goes ups and downs because in past that numbers also stood at 25 Sunni Parliamentarians. Shia Muslims are 25% of total population of Pakistan but you will not t see due representation or proportionate representation of Shia Muslims in Pakistani parliament?

Morally speaking, Deobandis-Wahhabis are sectarian bigots and Saudi-allied PMLN-government continues to bow to them. Their invented takfirism pose threat to Pakistan and their marriage of convenience brought marginalization of Shia Muslims in all over Pakistan, let alone Gilgit-Baltistan.