LAHORE:
With a month to go before the elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has revealed its list of ticket holders for 19 out of 24 seats, intensifying the election campaign with coalition ally Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which had announced its candidates and priorities with reserved seats earlier this week.
According to a release issued by the party and signed by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, tickets were allotted to several key figures from the party, including former Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister and PML-N GB President Hafeezur Rehman from GBA-2, Gilgit-II.
The announcement comes two days after the PPP released its complete list of general and reserved seats, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest between the two ruling coalition partners in the federally administered territory.
Under the PML-N list, party tickets were awarded to Muhammad Shafiqud Din from GBA-1, Gilgit-I; Muhammad Ibrahim of GBA-22, Ghanche-I; Ghullam Muhammad of GBA-21, Ghizer-III; Abdul Jahan of GBA-20, Ghizer-II; Malik Kifayat of GBA-18, Diamer-IV; Muhammad Zaman of GBA-17, Diamer-III; Engineer Muhammad Anwar of GBA-16, Diamer-II; Abdul Wajid of GBA-15, Diamer-I; Rana Muhammad Farooq of GBA-14, Astore-II; Farman Ali of GBA-13, Astore-I; Muhammad Tahir Unahar Shigri of GBA-12, Shigar; Syed Mohsin Rizvi of GBA-11, Kharmang; Ajmal Hussain of GBA-9, Skardu-III; Imtiaz Haider Khan of GBA-8, Skardu-II; Muhammad Akbar Khan of GBA-7, Skardu-I; Prince Saleem of GBA-6, Hunza; and Mohammad Iqbal of GBA-3, Gilgit-III. Party candidates from Gilgit-Baltistan were interviewed by Nawaz Sharif about two weeks ago after preliminary inquiry by the parliamentary board.
On 16 April, the PML-N formed a 23-member parliamentary board consisting of Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Captain Safdar and other senior leaders.
Earlier this week, the PPP also issued tickets to its candidates including Amjad Hussain Azar from GBLA-1 (Gilgit-I), Jameel Ahmed from GBLA-2 (Gilgit-II), Aftab Haider from GBLA-3 (Gilgit-III), Muhammad Ali Akhtar from GBLA-4 (Nagar-I), (Mur-IIar Ali), (ColNaqR) Imtiaz-ul-Haq from GBLA-6 (Hunza), Touqeer Mehdi Shah of GBLA-7 (Skardu-I), Syed Muhammad Ali Shah of GBLA-8 (Skardu-II), Fida Muhammad Nishad of GBLA-9 (Skardu-III), Raja Nasir Ali Khan of GBLA-10, (Sharbal Hassandu), (Sharbal Hassandu), (Sharbal Hassandu). Imran Nadeem of GBLA-12 (Shigar), Major (R) Fahad Hanif Khan of GBLA-13 (Astore-I), Bashir Ahmed Khan of GBLA-15 (Diamer-I), Ataullah Shah of GBLA-16 (Diamer-II), Muhammad Naseem of GBLA-17 (Diamer-Sha Jal-III) (Ghizer-I), Nazir Ahmed of GBLA-20 (Ghizer-II), Muhammad Ayub Shah from GBLA-21 (Ghizer-III), Dr. Ashiq Hussain from GBLA-22 (Ghanche-I), and Engineer Muhammad Ismail from GBLA-24 (Ghanche-III).A day later, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) announced additional candidates for the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, awarding party tickets to Wazir Waqar for GBA-9 Skardu-III and Amna Ansari for GBA-23. Ghanche-II.
The party also issued a priority list for women’s reserved seats and technocrat seats.
It is pertinent to mention here that while the PML-N enjoys a clear advantage as the main ruling party at the Centre, the PPP, despite being a federal junior coalition partner, remains a formidable contender in Gilgit-Baltistan due to its long-standing roots in the region.
According to PPP insiders, the party has also been working towards a possible alliance with JUI-F in Gilgit-Baltistan to improve its chances of securing the maximum number of seats.
The upcoming elections in both Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are being watched closely by political observers as they are expected to provide important signals regarding the evolving balance of power and the direction of establishment-backed political currents.
