GILGIT: Workers of various political parties blocked the Karakoram Highway for seven hours on Tuesday to protest the `induction` of PML-N workers in the GB caretaker cabinet.

Activists of PPP, PTI, JUIF, JI and MQM blocked the highway near Chilas, chanting slogans against the PMLN-led federal government for inducting `blue-eyed` people in the caretaker cabinet.

The protesters alleged that the federal minister for Kashmir affairs and GilgitBaltistanhadhandpickedthe cabinet members without considering the views of the leadership of other parties.

They warned of boycotting the upcoming GB elections if the decision was not reversed.

Addressing the protesters, PTI deputy convener for GB, Shah Nasir, accused the federal government of interfering into the GB affairs.

He alleged that the PML-Ngovernment had started prepoll rigging in the region by appointing their cronies to the GB cabinet. He claimed that the central government was also considering expanding the cabinet by inducting two more members, thus taking the tally to seven, which was un-called for.

Addressing the protesters telephonically from Islamabad, PTI central leader Gulam Sarwar Khan said that PML-N government was in a bid to win the GB elections through rigging.

He said that he would challenge the decision in court.

Speaking on the occasion, Jamaat-i-Islami, GB chapter emir Attaullah Khan said that the federal government was imposing decisions on the GB people. He said that the upcoming elections to the GBLA had become suspicious because of the decision of the federal government.

-Correspondent