Counting underway as polling concludes for Gilgit-Baltistan elections
The polling process began at 8am and continued till 5pm without any break on Sunday.
A total of 403 candidates took part in the elections, including 396 men and 8 women. The total number of registered voters in the region was 963,034, including 566,097 male and 396,937 female voters.
Gilgit Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz visited various polling stations to review the voting process. He inspected arrangements and monitored the conduct of voting at different stations.
Speaking to the media after the voting process, Raja Shahbaz said that polling was completed peacefully, with a notably high turnout among women voters.
The chief election commissioner said he personally visited polling stations to monitor the voting process and assess arrangements on the ground.
“I myself visited polling stations,” Raja Shahbaz said, adding that polling staff and security personnel performed their duties effectively.
He said the overall law and order situation remained satisfactory throughout the polling process. “The election process has been completed in a peaceful environment,” he said.
The Election Commission had established 1,391 polling stations across all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Of these, 488 were classified as normal, 349 as sensitive and 551 as highly sensitive.
District-wise figures show that Gilgit has 253 polling stations, including 51 normal, 48 sensitive and 154 highly sensitive stations.
Ghizer has 207 polling stations, comprising 83 normal, 52 sensitive and 69 highly sensitive stations, while Nagar has 85 polling stations, including 28 normal, 39 sensitive and 18 highly sensitive.
In Hunza, 88 polling stations have been set up, of which 33 are normal, 31 sensitive and 24 highly sensitive.
Skardu has 208 polling stations, including 88 normal, 51 sensitive and 69 highly sensitive stations, while Shigar has 71 polling stations, comprising 31 normal, 23 sensitive and 17 highly sensitive.
Kharmang has 43 polling stations, including 12 normal, 10 sensitive and 21 highly sensitive stations, while Ghanche has 154 polling stations, comprising 89 normal, 39 sensitive and 26 highly sensitive stations.
Astore has 108 polling stations, including 40 normal, 34 sensitive and 34 highly sensitive stations.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has fielded the highest number of candidates, with 23 contesting the elections, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 22 and 19 independents backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has fielded 15 candidates, the Pakistan Nazriyati Party (PNP) 11, while Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Islami Tehreek Pakistan (ITP) have fielded nine candidates each.
The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) has nominated seven candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have fielded six candidates each. The Awami Workers Party (AWP) has fielded four candidates.
Security arrangement
Authorities said foolproof security arrangements were put in place for the elections. Personnel from the local police, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts, and contingents from Punjab and Sindh police have been deployed to perform security duties at polling stations and other key locations.
Additional security personnel were deployed at vulnerable locations, while law enforcement agencies and the district administration are on high alert throughout the election process.
Speaking to journalists, GB Inspector General of Police Nasir Akbar Khan said that more than 17,500 personnel were deployed for security during the electoral process.
Police, Rangers, and other law enforcement agencies are on alert, he said, adding that additional force has been deployed at sensitive polling stations.
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