ISLAMABAD:
The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) on Thursday finalized its election strategy for the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and announced candidates for nine seats in the first phase.
The decisions were taken at a meeting of the party’s 20-member electoral council, chaired by its chairman Abdul Aleem Khan, held here to review preparations for the June 7 elections, a press release said.
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 election committee is expected to announce the remaining candidates for the remaining constituencies in the coming days.
IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan said consultations have been decided regarding a possible electoral alliance between Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and Pakistan Islamic Tehreek in the Gilgit-Baltistan general elections.
In addition, the Party’s future line of action will also be determined based on 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 Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party was participating in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections in a strong and effective manner, adding that IPP members of the national and provincial assemblies, senior leaders and members of the party would undertake an election tour of Gilgit-Baltistan next week.
During the election council meeting chaired by party president Abdul Aleem Khan, senior party leaders briefed the participants about the electoral situation in Gilgit-Baltistan so far.
National Assembly members Aun Chaudhry and Gul Asghar Baghur joined the meeting via video link, while MP Munnaza Hassan was present in person. Also present in the meeting were IPP Central General Secretary Mian Khalid Mahmood, Punjab President Rana Nazir Ahmad Khan, Central Information Secretary Syed Samsam Ali Bukhari, Punjab Assembly Member Ghazanfar Abbas Chhina and Lahore Speaker Malik Zaman Naseeb. From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, GG Jamal, while Syed Raffaqat Ali Gilani from South Punjab and Mamoon Jafar Tarar and Yawar Kamal from Central Punjab also participated. From Gilgit-Baltistan, Haji Gulbar Khan, Raja Jalal, Shams-ul-Haq Lone and Fateh Ullah Khan were present at the election council meeting of Istehkam-e-Pakistan party.
The participants expressed their views from different angles 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 general elections in Gilgit-Baltistan.
