Polling for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections concluded at 5:00 pm on Sunday, and the counting of votes has begun across all 24 constituencies of the regional legislature.
A total of 403 candidates contested the elections, including 396 male and eight female candidates. Voters turned out in large numbers throughout the day, with long queues observed at various polling stations as citizens waited to cast their ballots. Polling continued uninterrupted from morning until the scheduled closing time.
During the polling process, a dispute was reported in Skardu after unrelated individuals approached a polling station. Police intervened and brought the situation under control. Meanwhile, complaints regarding slow polling procedures were reported at several polling stations in Astore.
Chief Election Commissioner Gilgit-Baltistan Raja Shahbaz visited various polling stations and said polling commenced on time, adding that voters were participating enthusiastically in the electoral process.
According to the Election Commission, a total of 1,391 polling stations were established across all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Of these, 349 were declared sensitive and 551 highly sensitive.
For the 24 Assembly seats, the Pakistan Peoples Party fielded 23 candidates, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) entered 22 candidates. The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party fielded 15 candidates, Pakistan Muslim League 11, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) nine candidates.
Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) fielded seven candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) each entered six candidates in the race. Additionally, 266 independent candidates contested the elections from different constituencies.
Comprehensive security arrangements were put in place to ensure peaceful elections. Heavy deployments of local police, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts and Punjab Police personnel remained on duty throughout the polling process. Law enforcement agencies also conducted flag marches in electoral constituencies as part of security measures.
