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- The region went to polls on June 7 but results in several constituencies remained pending due to partial re-polling at selected stations
- The notification of reserved seats has increased the PPP’s strength in the 33-member assembly to 13 seats, followed by the PML-N with nine
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission Gilgit-Baltistan (ECGB) has announced official results of the recent elections and notified successful candidates in 21 out of the 24 constituencies, with the Pakistan Peoples Party winning the highest nine seats.
Pakistan’s northern Gilgit Baltistan (GB) region went to polls on June 7 but results in several constituencies remained pending as election authorities awaited completion of partial re-polling in selected polling stations.
The delay followed complaints by multiple political parties regarding irregularities and procedural concerns in the elections in the semi-autonomous region, home to some of the world’s highest peaks and a key gateway for trade between Pakistan and China.
The GB election commission on Friday issued final election results, with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) winning nine seats, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with six and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) with four seats.
“God willing, Pakistan Peoples Party will form the government in Gilgit-Baltistan,” the PPP said on X, citing party member Nayyar Hussain Bukhari. “The PPP leadership will decide how to form the government and who to include in the alliance.”
The ECGB also notified the reserved seats, which increased the PPP’s strength in the 33-member assembly to 13 seats, PML-N to nine seats, and IPP to six seats.
The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen party secured one seat, while an independent candidate also won the election. Official results are still pending in three constituencies due to ongoing legal and electoral proceedings.
GB lies in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, disputed between India and Pakistan. India has always claimed that it has the right to govern all territories in the Jammu and Kashmir region.
Pakistan rejects these claims and accuses India of forcefully occupying the Jammu and Kashmir region since 1947. It also lays claim to all parts of Kashmir administered by India since both countries secured freedom from the British in 1947.
Historically, the party that forms the government in Islamabad has performed well in GB. In 2009, the PPP won the GB polls while in 2015, the PML-N formed its government in the region. In 2020, the Imran Khan-led PTI secured victory in the GB polls.
The Shehbaz Sharif-led PML-N party, which is currently in power in Islamabad, has also been in talks with the PPP to form government in the northern region.