Senior leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have claimed they were stopped from entering Gilgit-Baltistan during the final phase of campaigning for the June 7 elections.
The party’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said he, along with Naeem Panjutha Naeem Panjutha, Shaukat Basra Shaukat Basra and other party members, was stopped at a security checkpoint after entering the region.
He said police vehicles surrounded their convoy. They were not allowed to proceed further. He also claimed their names were already on an official list.
According to him, authorities informed them that instructions had come from higher levels. He said they were ordered not to enter Gilgit-Baltistan.
Salman Akram Raja called the action politically motivated. He said it was an attempt to stop PTI from campaigning freely. He added that such steps weaken the link between voters and political leaders.
The PTI also issued a statement on social media. It said its leaders were stopped immediately after entering Gilgit. It described the move as unfair and undemocratic.
Naeem Panjutha also reacted strongly. He said the party was being denied permission to run its election campaign. He claimed other political parties were being allowed to hold rallies and move freely.
He said restrictions were increasing pressure on PTI candidates. He added that such actions showed fear of the party’s growing support.
Earlier, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Junaid Akbar Khan had also faced restrictions during campaigning. He was reportedly stopped and detained while traveling for election activities in Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said he was told that he could not continue due to lack of official permission. His travel was also delayed at key checkpoints.
PTI leaders have strongly condemned these incidents. They say the party is being systematically blocked from campaigning.
They argue that such restrictions damage the fairness of the election process. They have raised questions about transparency and equal opportunity for all parties.
So far, authorities have not issued a detailed public response to these allegations.
The situation has added tension to the election environment in Gilgit-Baltistan. Campaigning continues across the region as polling day approaches.
