PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter President Junaid Akbar, along with six other party members, was expelled from Gilgit-Baltistan as authorities took action amid the ongoing election campaigns in the region ahead of the June 7 polls. Police officials confirmed the detention of Akbar and his associates, including Mehboob Shah, Salimur Rehman, Dr. Amjad Ali Khan, Muhammad Naeem Khan, Ziauddin, and Arshad Meer.
Akbar and the other PTI leaders were apprehended in the Hanzel area. Gilgit-Baltistan Home Minister Sajid Ali Baig stated that the group violated the election code of conduct by holding a rally in Jaglot and a public gathering in Gilgit without securing the required no-objection certificate (NOC). The minister warned that strict measures would be enforced against any breaches of election regulations.
In response, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan condemned the arrests, asserting that restricting political activities in Gilgit-Baltistan undermines democracy and equates to election rigging. He emphasized that preventing party workers from campaigning ahead of the polls is detrimental to a fair electoral process.
Gilgit-Baltistan is scheduled to hold elections on June 7 to form its 4th Legislative Assembly. The 2009 Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order, promulgated by then-President Asif Ali Zardari, aimed to grant the region greater autonomy in self-governance.
The region currently has 963,034 registered voters, comprising 506,097 males and 456,937 females, marking a 29% increase since 2020. Notably, the gender gap in voter registration has narrowed from 8% to 4%. Despite this population growth, no new delimitation has occurred since 1994, partly due to the confidentiality of the region’s census data.
Female representation among candidates remains low. Out of nearly 400 candidates contesting in 24 constituencies, only eight are women, with just three running on party tickets—one each from PPP, IPP, and Pakistan Nazriyati Party. This trend is consistent with previous elections, which saw similarly low female participation.
Among the major political parties, PPP has nominated 23 candidates, PML-N 22, and IPP 15. Other parties include Pakistan Nazriyati Party and Islami Tehreek Pakistan with 10 candidates each, JUI-F with nine, MWM seven, and both JI and MQM with six candidates each. Independent candidates constitute 68% of the total. PTI, through a seat adjustment with MWM on four seats, is contesting 23 out of the 24 constituencies.
