Gilgit-Baltistan Votes in Closely Watched Election Amid Tight Political Contest
A total of 396 candidates are competing for 24 directly elected seats in the Legislative Assembly. Of these, 266 are independents, while 130 represent various national, regional, and religious-political parties, according to figures released by the regional election authority.
The assembly consists of 33 seats in total, including nine reserved seats allocated for women and technocrats through proportional representation.
Polling will open at 8 a.m. local time and continue until 5 p.m., with nearly 963,000 registered voters eligible to cast ballots across the region.
A competitive race is expected between major political forces, including the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N) led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Peoples Party associated with the legacy of Benazir Bhutto, and independent candidates aligned with supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party led by incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf faction has raised concerns over electoral fairness, alleging that its candidates have not been granted equal conditions to contest the vote. Authorities have rejected these claims.
Security measures have been significantly strengthened, with thousands of police officers and paramilitary personnel deployed across the mountainous region, which shares a border with China.
Although female candidates remain relatively few, more than 450,000 women are registered to vote and are expected to play a decisive role in several constituencies where margins may be tight.
Historically, governments in Gilgit-Baltistan have often aligned with the party in power at the federal level in Islamabad, reflecting the region’s longstanding political linkage to national politics, according to reports.
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