The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has emerged the frontrunner in Gilgit-Baltistan on the back of unofficial and preliminary results for elections on 24 seats of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly.
According to the unofficial results, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) trails in second place with six seats. Independent candidates, including two backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have secured seven constituencies, while the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen has secured one seat.
The PPP is the frontrunner in GBA-1 (Gilgit), GBA-4 and GBA-5 (Nagar), GBA-7, GBA-9 (Skardu), GBA-10 (Roundu), GBA-11 (Kharmang), GBA-12 (Shigar), GBA-17 (Darel), GBA-19 (Ghizer).
The PMLN, meanwhile, leads in GBA-2 (Gilgit), GBA-13 and GBA-14 (Astore), GBA-18 (Tangir), GBA-20 (Ghizer), GBA-22 (Ghanche). PTI-backed independents lead in GBA-3 (Gilgit), and GBA-6 (Hunza), while the MWM is the winner, according to unofficial results, in GBA-8 (Skardu).
Independent candidates have secured the remaining seats, GBA-15 (Diamer), GBA-16 (Diamer), GBA-21 (Yasin), GBA-23 (Ghanche), and GBA-24 (Ghanche).
Apart from the 24 directly contested seats, the GBA has 9 reserved seats, comprising six for women and three for technocrats and professionals. These are allocated on the basis of proportional representation.
Overall, 396 candidates contested the elections, including 266 independents. Of these, just eight were women. The total registered voters, per the Election Commission, were 963,034, including 566,097 male and 396,937 female voters.
Rigging allegations
While the voting process remained largely peaceful, both the PTI and the PPP have alleged “irregularities” in the issuance of results as a means to make the results controversial. Despite emerging as the frontrunner, the PPP has claimed polling stations were changed ahead of polls, and also accused the PMLN of “electoral engineering.”
Similarly, the PTI has alleged its candidates were leading in results prior to 7 p.m.