Polling for 24 seats of the second Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly concluded on Monday without any incident of violence being reported from any part of the region with unofficial results putting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the leading position.
About 600,000 registered voters exercised their polling rights in Monday’s elections for six seats from Skardu, four from Diamer, three each from Gilgit, Hunza Nagar, Ghizer and Ganche and two from Astor.
Candidates representing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were contesting for all 24 seats of the Legislative Assembly, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidates for 22 seats, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) for seven, Majils Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) candidates for 15, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam- Fazl (JUI-F) for 10, All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) for 13, Tehreek-e-Islami for 12 and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) for six seats.
Gilgit Deputy Commissioner Gilgit Rana Rizwan said the polls were conducted in a peaceful and smooth way in the district and no unpleasant incident was reported during the whole day. He said there were a total of 215 polling stations in the district and the number of registered voters in Gilgit was 98,000.
He said all the institutions worked efficiently to ensure peaceful and transparent elections.
800 army personnel, 1,200 police officials along with Rangers and GB Scouts were deployed at the polling stations to maintain law and order, he said.
Tight security arrangements were made across the region to ensure smooth voting process. For this purpose, eight units of the army had been deployed in the region. Vehicles were also inspected at entry and exit points.
In all, 1,143 polling stations had been set up in seven districts of Gilgit-Baltistan and ballot papers dispatched to polling stations under the supervision of the army.
Out of the total, 282 polling stations had been declared highly sensitive and 269 sensitive.
The elected members of the Legislative Assembly will elect further eight candidates — three technocrats and five women.