Voters across Gilgit-Baltistan have begun casting their ballots to elect a new assembly, with polling stations opening at 8 am and scheduled to close at 5 pm. The elections are taking place under stringent security measures, reflecting a highly competitive contest between national parties and regional candidates.
Early in the day, long queues formed in key districts including Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Ghizer, and Hunza. The Chief Election Commissioner, Raja Shahbaz Khan, confirmed that voting commenced on time in most of the region’s 10 districts and emphasized that all available resources are being used to ensure the elections are free, fair, and transparent.
A total of 396 candidates are contesting the 24 general seats, with 266 running as independents. Many of these independents have backing from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is participating without its usual electoral symbol, the bat, due to a legal dispute with the election regulator. Major parties such as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) have also fielded candidates in key constituencies.
To maintain order, approximately 15,000 security personnel—including police, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts, and Punjab Police—have been deployed. The Election Commission has designated 551 polling stations as “highly sensitive” and 349 as “sensitive.” While polling has been mostly peaceful, minor clashes between rival supporters were reported in Skardu but were quickly controlled. Some delays and slow voting were noted in parts of Astore.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly consists of 33 seats, including 24 directly elected seats, six reserved for women, and three for technocrats, allocated through proportional representation. The total number of registered voters is 958,480, comprising 503,772 men and 454,708 women, voting across 1,391 polling stations. A simple majority of 17 seats is required to form the government.
This election is viewed as a crucial test for the PPP and PML-N, both of which have promised constitutional reforms aimed at granting Gilgit-Baltistan full provincial status. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed his commitment to providing the region with self-governance and full constitutional rights in a video statement released as polling began.
Counting of votes is expected to start later on Sunday evening, with unofficial results anticipated by Monday morning. Preliminary results from individual polling stations will be announced progressively, though official consolidated results from all constituencies are not expected until Monday morning.
