SKARDU – Election officials have started to count votes after a day-long polling process for Gilgit-Baltistan election 2020, and complete results are expected by November 16(today).
Party Name |
(Unofficial) Victory in Number of Constituency |
| PTI | 9 |
| PPP | 4 |
| PMLN | 2 |
| JUIF | 1 |
| Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen | 1 |
| Islami Tehreek-e-Pakistan | – |
| Independents | 7 |
As of 9:00 am Monday, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf was in the lead in nine constituencies. (unofficial results)
Independent candidates were ahead than other parties as per the victories in seven constituencies. (unofficial results)
Javed Ali Manwa won with 2,443 votes in the GBA-5, Nagar-II constituency; Mushtaq Hussain won with 6,051 votes in the GBA-22, Ghanche-I constituency; Nawaz Khan Naji won in the GBA-19, Ghizer-I constituency with 6,448 votes; Abdul Hameed Khan won in the GBA-23, Ghanche-II constituency with 3,666 votes; and Wazir Muhammad Saleem GBA-9, Skardu-III constituency with 6,286 votes. (unofficial results)
Pakistan Peoples Partry leading in four constituencies. Jamil Ahmed in the GBA-2, Gilgit-II constituency with 6,848 votes; Muhammad Ismail in the GBA-24, Ghanche-III constituency with 6,204 votes; and Amjad Hussain in both the GBA-I, Gilgit-I constituency with 11,178 votes and GBA-4, Nagar-I constituency with 11,178 votes. (unofficial results)
The PML-N had 2, while Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and the JUI-F had 1 one constituency each.(unofficial results)
Each win in a constituency represents a seat won in the assembly.
Chairman People party Bilawal Bhutto slammed the govt after they only succeed to get half of the seats as compared to ruling party. My election has been stolen. I will be joining the people of Gilgit-Baltistan in their protest shortly, he writes in a tweet.
My election has been stolen. I will be joining the people of Gilgit-Baltistan in their protest shortly.
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 16, 2020
Earlier today PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz also slammed the government and predicted the oust at earliest.
گلگت بلتستان کے بہادر لوگو ! اس دھاندلی سے ہمت نہیں ہارنا۔ ریت کی یہ دیوار گرنے والی ہے۔ کٹھ پتلی کا کھیل ختم ہونے کو ہے۔ انشاء اللّہ !
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) November 16, 2020
Voting began Sunday morning after weeks of electioneering by the ruling PTI and the opposition parties with the provincial status for the northern region as their main slogan.
Eligible voters are using their right to elect the candidates of the 24-member Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA) for the next five years.
Caretaker Chief Minister, Gilgit Baltistan, Mir Afzal Khan, Chief Election Commissioner, GB, Raja Shehbaz Khan and Former Chief Minister, Gilgit Baltistan, Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman polled their votes in the Women education College (Polling Station of GBA-2).
In areas like Ghizer, Hunza, Sost and Baltistan heavy snowfall bar voters to their houses while some came out despite snowfall in the region to cast their vote.
The polling continues with standard operating procedures to stern the spread of the novel virus.
#GilgitBaltistanElections2020 Polling starts with #COVID19 SOPs#APPNews @DeputyGhizer @fslsltn @MoIB_Official @RandhawaAli #GilgitBaltis pic.twitter.com/e8D7svB6N3
— APP ???????? (@appcsocialmedia) November 15, 2020
PML-N Vice president Maryam Nawaz, in her tweet, mentioned the PTI sit-in, also lambasted on detaining of part leaders.
جب نواز شریف کی طرح عوام کامنتخب وزیر اعظم ہو تو 126 دن کا دھرنا بھی ناکام ہوتا ہے مگر جب سلیکٹڈ ہوں تو محض جلسوں سے ٹانگیں کانپنے لگا جاتی ہیں۔اتنا خوف ہے مسلم لیگ (ن) کا کہ ہر جلسے سے پہلے وہاں کے رہنماؤں پر کریک ڈاؤن شروع ہوجاتا ہے۔ حکومت کو گھر تو جانا ہی پڑے گا، انشاءاللّہ !
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) November 15, 2020
Pakistan peoples party stalwart Sharjeel Memon slammed the government by stating the delayed tactics is an attempt to malign the polls.
Delaying tactics for casting votes in GB. Selected federal govt is using every step of rigging. Inshallah they will not be successful. #JeetKaNishaanTeer pic.twitter.com/SHDq1WPb2D
— sharjeel inam memon (@sharjeelinam) November 15, 2020
As the voting continued peacefully,Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Shehbaz Khan visited control room to inspects arrangements for GB polls, Gilgit-Baltistan’s chief secretary also briefed him on the occasion.
The registered voters in the area are 7,45,361 and 1,160 polling stations has been set up across GB among which 418 has been declared very sensitive and 311 as sensitive.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari who led the party’s political campaign said that the election commission must not fail the people and should ensure that “every vote is cast and counted”.
The people of GB’s enthusiasm is a testament to their commitment to democracy. The election commission must not fail them and ensure every vote is cast & counted. #TeerPayThappa
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) November 15, 2020
As many as 330 candidates from 24 constituencies will take part in this election. Process of polling will be continued without any interval from 8 am to 5 pm. Deployment of staff and materials will be completed by the 6 pm in 23 constituencies of three divisions of Gilgit Baltistan.
Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar tweets in accordance with undergoing polls, he said PTI will form government in Gilgit-Baltistan after today’s polls.
کراچی اور جنوبی بلوچستان کے تاریخی وفاقی ترقیاتی پروگراموں کے بعد اب انشاءاللہ گلگت بلتستان کے لئے تاریخ ساز ترقیاتی پروگرام پر کام ہو گا. آج کے الیکشن کے بعد انشاءاللہ تحریک انصاف کی منتخب گلگت بلتستان حکومت کے ساتھ مل کر علاقے کے لئے ہنگامی بنیادوں پر کام کریں گے #بلے_پہ_ٹھپہ
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) November 15, 2020
More than 15000 security personnel from G-B, Punjab, KPK, Sindh and Bolochistan have been sent to their respective polling stations across G-B.
Election Commission Gilgit-Baltistan has prohibited to carry mobile phones and other such devices inside the polling stations and within the parameters of 100 meters, banners and posters of contesting candidates and within the parameters of 400 meters campaign of contesting candidates has been prohibited.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi holds a press conference before mid day. He refuted the accusations by the opposition of pre-poll rigging. Parties win and lose; it is a part of politics.
Federal Minister for Information Senator Shibli Faraz tweets, he said that the passion with which the people of Gilgit Baltistan have been voting in the ongoing general elections reflect on their desire for change in the region.
آج گلگت بلتستان کے عوام اپنے روشن مستقبل کیلئے رائے دہی کاجمہوری حق استعمال کررہےہیں۔انکاجذبہ اس بات کی غمازی کرتا کہ وہ تبدیلی کےخواہاں ہیں۔گلگت بلتستان کےعوام اپنے ووٹ کی طاقت سے ایک دہائی سے ان پر مسلط نا اہل ٹولہ مسترد کر دیں گے،کیونکہ انکی ترجیح کبھی عوام کی بھلائی نہیں رہی۔
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) November 15, 2020
Gilgit-Baltistan: Youngest finance adviser shares major milestones achieved ahead of Election 2020
Past trends in Gilgit-Baltistan have indicated that the party in central government often tends to triumph in the regional elections in this area as well. Polls so far, however, show that there is tough competition between PTI, with their ruling party advantage, and between PPP, which has been historically popular in the region due to the party’s founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s initiatives for the region.
Gilgit-Baltistan, which borders Afghanistan and China, is the gateway of the $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure plan.
