Who Will Rule Gilgit-Baltistan? Voters Head to Polls as Assembly Elections Take Place Today
Polling for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections has begun, with voters across the region casting their ballots to decide the composition of the next government. Voting will continue uninterrupted until 5:00 PM.
According to the Election Commission, a total of 958,480 registered voters are eligible to exercise their right to vote. Authorities have established 1,391 polling stations across all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan to facilitate the electoral process.
Out of the total polling stations, 349 have been classified as sensitive, while 551 have been declared highly sensitive due to security concerns.
A total of 403 candidates are contesting the elections, including 396 men and 8 women. Among the political parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has fielded 23 candidates, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 22 candidates, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) with 15, Pakistan Muslim League with 11, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) with 9 candidates.
Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) has nominated 7 candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have fielded 6 candidates each. Additionally, 266 independent candidates are participating in the elections from various constituencies.
Strict security arrangements have been put in place to ensure peaceful polling. Personnel from the local police, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts, and Punjab Police have been deployed across the region, while law enforcement agencies have conducted flag marches in several constituencies.
Several constituencies are expected to witness closely contested races. In GBA-1 Gilgit, PPP candidate Amjad Hussain, PML-N’s Shafiq-ud-Din, IPP’s Sultan Raees, and independent candidate Asif Usmani are considered key contenders.
In GBA-2 Gilgit, a tough contest is anticipated among former Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman of PML-N, PPP’s Jameel Ahmed, IPP’s Fatehullah, and independent candidate Atiq Pirzada.
Another closely watched constituency is GBA-18 Diamer, where former Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Gulbar Khan of IPP is facing PML-N candidate Kifayat ur Rehman.
In GBA-19 Ghizer, independent candidate Nawaz Khan Naji, PPP’s Jalal Shah, and PML-N’s Zafar Muhammad are among the prominent contenders. Meanwhile, in GBA-13 Astore, independent candidate Shahida Khurshid, PML-N’s Rana Farman Ali, and PPP’s Fahad Hanif are expected to be the leading candidates.
The election results will determine who forms the next government in Gilgit-Baltistan, making today’s vote a crucial political event for the region.
