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Polling concludes for Gilgit-Baltistan general elections on 24 seats

Polling for 24 seats of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly concluded peacefully on Sunday amid tight security arrangements. The general elections for GB took place after a four-month delay, which was attributed to harsh winter weather. The voting process in the region began at 8am on Sunday and concluded at 5pm. What we know so far: PPP’s Amjad Hussain and PML-N’s Hafeezur Rehman main contenders for CM role PTI, lacking electoral symbol, allies with MWM; IPP, PML-Q, JUI-F also in race GB top court writes to CEC for ‘fair’ elections after KP CM’s letter PPP pledges constitutional rights; PML-N vows development projects The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly has a total of 33 seats — 24 of which are contested through direct elections, six are reserved for women, and three are reserved for technocrats and professionals. Political parties can nominate candidates for the reserved seats through proportional representation. A total of 396 candidates contested the elections, with 266 running as independents. Only eight women contested the elections, five of them as independent candidates. The total number of registered voters in the region’s 10 districts was 963,034, including 566,097 male and 396,937 female voters. The voting process remained largely peaceful throughout the region, with no violence being reported. However, the PPP complained about the “overnight” relocation of the Balachi polling station in Astore-II’s Bunji area from the roadside to the top of a hill. In a post on X, the party noted that the polling station had 206 registered voters, asserting that the “local population is known for its strong support” of the PPP. “This decision appears to be an attempt to affect the PPP’s vote bank and discourage voters from participating in the polling process,” it alleged. The party added that residents blocked the Gilgit-Skardu Road in protest of this action. Meanwhile, the PML-N shared videos of its supporters gathering at its election camps in Skardu and Gilgit. The party also shared videos on X of the PPP and IPP’s election camps, claiming they were “deserted”. The PTI shared a video of people outside a Gilgit polling station voicing support for the party. As polling began, GB Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Shahbaz Khan visited various polling stations across Gilgit city to review the process, security arrangements and the overall electoral environment. He also inspected the facilities and arrangements provided to voters at the polling stations and met polling agents representing different candidates. Speaking to PTV News, Khan noted that he had visited around 10 polling stations, where security arrangements were satisfactory. He said women were turning out in large numbers to cast ballots, which reflected strong public awareness about the importance of exercising their democratic right. He added that all political parties were participating peacefully in the electoral process. GB Caretaker Interior Minister Sajid Ali Baig said he visited various polling stations, where the overall environment remained peaceful. According to APP, he told a local media outlet that there were public demands for further deployment of police forces in some areas for smooth and secure polling. The minister said minor irregularities observed at certain locations were being addressed promptly by the authorities concerned. Who’s contesting? PPP has 23 candidates, PML-N has 22, Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) has 15, PML-Q has 11, Tehreek-i-Islami Pakistan has 10, Pakistan Nazriyati Party (PNP) also has 10, while nine candidates from the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) are contesting the elections. Meanwhile, the PTI, which won the 2020 elections, remains without an electoral symbol since Jan 13, 2024 and therefore, its candidates are contesting as independents. In line with its strategy for the national 2024 elections, it has allied with the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM). A social media post by the party shows their alliance has 22 candidates combined, with MWM nominees bearing the “tent” symbol. MWM has three candidates in the running, and one candidate from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) will also contest the election. Six candidates each from Jamaat-i-Islami and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) will also contest the elections, along with four candidates from Awami Workers Party (AWP) and one nominee from Awami National Party (ANP). PPP, IPP, and PNP have nominated one woman each. The main contenders for the winning candidate were Advocate Amjad Hussain from the PPP and former chief minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman from the PML-N. Hussain, president of the PPP’s GB chapter, has served as a member of the GB assembly from 2020 to 2025 and as a member of the GB council from 2009 to 2014. He is contesting from GBA-1 (Gilgit-I). Rehman, currently the president of the PML-N’s GB chapter, served as the chief minister from 2015 to 2020. He also served as an assembly member from 2004 to 2009. The former CM is contesting the polls from GBA-2 (Gilgit-II). This photo combo shows PML-N’s Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman (L) and Advocate Amjad Hussain (R). — X/@CMGBPK / Facebook/@AdvocateAmjad GB top court orders ‘fair’ elections after KP CM’s letter Separately, the GB Supreme Appellate Court directed the election commission to hold elections in a free and fair manner after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Sohail Afridi wrote to Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan. A press release by the appellate court recalled that CM Afridi had written a letter to the chief justice, in which he requested equal opportunities for all political parties in the elections. Subsequently, the statement said, Justice Khan issued a written order to the GB CEC, directing him to conduct the general elections in a “transparent, impartial and fair manner”. In his response, the CEC assured the chief justice that the electoral process would be carried out under “a transparent, impartial and organised system”. “In his detailed letter, he has also informed the esteemed court in detail about the steps taken by the election commission to ensure the transparency and impartiality of the elections,” the court’s statement said. The appellate court affirmed that it was striving to ensure the provision of justice to the people. PPP pledges rights; PML-N vows projects In a video statement issued early in the morning, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari urged the public across GB to turn up in large numbers and cast their vote on the party’s “arrow” symbol. “I want to get the people of Gilgit-Baltistan haq-i-hakmiyat (right to govern). I want to get Gilgit-Baltistan constitutional rights. Come, make PPP win so we can make GB the fifth province,” Bilawal said. He further promised to provide “haq-i-rozgar (right to employment)” to the youth of GB if his party got elected. “From the riverside to the peak of the mountains, I want to make you the owner of your land,” the PPP chairman said, adding that a vast area of land had been turned into “common land from state land”. In his video statement, PML-N’s Rehman noted that his party held over 200 corner meetings, more than 40 jalsas and 11 rallies during the election campaign. He apologised to PML-N supporters for not being able to visit various areas he wanted to due to party duties. “I hope that your vote will be in support of progress, peace, development that has been paused since 2020, [and] for the eradication of load-shedding,” the former CM remarked. Rehman emphasised his party’s pledge to work on development projects, construction of roads and metro buses, and better governance. Tight security As part of security arrangements, 6,000 Punjab police personnel and 2,000 from Islamabad police — including 150 personnel from its security division — have been assigned for election duty in the mountainous region. According to a list issued by the GB Election Commission, a total of 1,391 polling stations have been established across the region, of which 488 are categorised as normal, 349 as sensitive and 551 as highly sensitive. Diamer, with 119 highly sensitive polling stations out of a total of 174, has the highest number of such stations among all districts. Additional security personnel will be deployed at vulnerable locations, while law enforcement agencies and the district administration will remain on high alert throughout the election process. On Saturday, the GB CEC urged voters to exercise their democratic right and play a constructive role in maintaining law and order. He asserted that all necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections across the region. CEC Khan had delegated powers of a first-class magistrate to all district returning officers (DROs) and returning officers (ROs) for the peaceful and transparent conduct of the elections. The election campaign The last elections — held on Nov 15, 2020 — had been won by the PTI, which was also in power in the Centre at the time. However, its Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan was disqualified for an alleged fake degree in July 2023. Subsequently, a coalition government was formed by members of the PTI, PPP and PML-N with Haji Gulbar Khan — an estranged PTI member — elected by the assembly as the new chief minister. In the run-up to the current polls, the PML-N and the PPP campaigned with full force as their party chiefs toured the region. PML-N President Nawaz Sharif visited Gilgit, while Bilawal gave fiery speeches at rallies in various districts. However, the PTI has decried a “lack of level playing field” in the current elections after its key leaders were expelled from GB on separate occasions. The party has also alleged other tactics to deter its election campaign activities. Meanwhile, the PPP has raised concerns over the deployment of Punjab police personnel and the participation of federal ministers in the PML-N’s campaign. Additional input from APP