Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi has expressed his deep grief and anger over the arrest of PTI leader Junaid Akbar and other members of the assembly in Gilgit-Baltistan and has given a clear warning that if the arrested parliamentarians are not released immediately, they will head to Gilgit-Baltistan themselves.
In a strong statement issued to the media, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said that efforts are currently being made to form a “fake government” in Gilgit-Baltistan under a well-planned conspiracy, which will not be accepted under any circumstances. He slammed the Gilgit-Baltistan administration and revealed that “the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan is not even answering my call”, which is a very irresponsible and undemocratic attitude.
Criticizing the federal and local ruling circles, he said”Such unilateral and fascist steps are creating more hatred and division in Pakistan. The entire democratic system of the country is being destroyed to wall off the party of founder PTI Imran Khan.”
The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expressed his determination that he would not allow any region to become a bastion of lawlessness. He said that we will never allow Gilgit-Baltistan to be made a “no-go area”. Sohail Afridi further said that the proud people of Gilgit-Baltistan will not tolerate this political revenge and injustice silently, but will give a strong response to it with their “power of vote” when the time comes.
According to political observers, there is a fear of an unprecedented increase in political tensions between Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the arrest of Junaid Akbar and the recent warning given by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
