Gilgit-Baltistan polls 'free' and 'fair': Gilani - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Rejecting allegations of massive fraud in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has termed the polls as 'free' and 'fair'. Responding to the allegations of poll rigging made by Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Gilani said it has almost became a tradition to blame the party in power. "This is our tradition to level rigging allegation. But I assure the House that the election in Gilgit-Baltistan has been free and fair," The Nation quoted Gilani, as saying. Earlier, an independent candidate in Gilgit-Baltistan, had accused the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of massive fraud. Deedar Ali alleged that his supporters had caught scores of PPP workers stamping ballot papers at the Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission office, a day before the election (Wednesday). Ali's supporters also found about 800 identity cards in the office, following which they started protesting in front of the Election Commission building. Later, PML-N and PML-Q workers also joined the protest and said the PPP was wrongly utilising the government's machinery to rig the elections. Meanwhile, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) was reportedly leading the rigging-stained polls with at least 11 of its candidates declared successful in an unofficial count.