GB caretaker information minister urges citizens to vote, hopes polls boost development and prosperity
ISLAMABAD:
Voting is underway on Sunday in the 2026 Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Legislative Assembly elections, with more than 958,000 registered voters expected to cast their votes in 24 constituencies.
The vote will be held from 8am to 5pm, with 13 seats needed to form the next government in the strategically important region. It has begun at 1,691 polling stations, with more than 7,500 polling staff deployed. A total of 130 candidates from 24 political parties and 266 independent candidates are standing for the election.
The GB Assembly consists of 33 seats, including 24 elected through direct elections, 6 reserved for women and 3 reserved for technocrats and professionals. Reserved seats are allocated to political parties based on proportional representation.
GB Interim Information Minister Ghulam Abbas said the polls had begun peacefully across the region, with a large number of voters exercising their right to vote.
He said the interim government and the Election Commission had made extensive security arrangements, with personnel from the police, Rangers, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts and the Pakistan Army deployed at sensitive locations.
Ghulam Abbas urged citizens to come out and vote and expressed hope that the electoral process would contribute to GB’s continued development and prosperity.
Chief Election Commissioner
Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan, accompanied by Provincial Election Commissioner Abid Raza, visited several polling stations in Gilgit to review polling arrangements, security arrangements and the overall election environment.
During a visit to the polling stations at Jutial Elementary College and Khomar City Park, the Chief Election Commissioner expressed satisfaction with the arrangements and directed the polling staff and security personnel to ensure neutrality, transparency and smooth conduct of the polling process.
Election officials said turnout was steady, although long lines of male and female voters formed outside several polling stations. Some voters complained of delays and a slow voting process. Raja Shahbaz Khan took notice of the complaints and sought reports from relevant officials.
The Chief Election Commissioner also inspected facilities available to voters and met polling agents representing candidates. According to election officials, the polling stations expressed satisfaction with the peaceful atmosphere and arrangements at the polling stations.
Read: 24 seats up for grabs as GB goes to the polls today
As part of his review of security preparations, Khan visited the Gilgit Safe City Control Centre, where he was briefed on security measures and surveillance arrangements. Officials informed him that election-related activities were continuously monitored through a modern surveillance system.
The Inspector General of Police and other officials briefed the Chief Election Commissioner about the security plan and special measures put in place for the election day.
During the visit, Raja Shehbaz Khan said that all available resources were being used to ensure free, fair, peaceful and transparent elections. He also lauded the performance of the district administration and law enforcement agencies and urged the voters to participate fully in the democratic process while helping to maintain a peaceful environment.
Section 144
In Diamer district, authorities imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code for 60 days to maintain law and order. A notification issued by Deputy Commissioner Lt (retd) Muhammad Owais banned public display of weapons, aerial firing, use of fireworks and unauthorized operation of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The order, which takes effect on June 5, requires prior approval from the district judge for drone operations. Law enforcement agencies have been exempted from the restrictions. Officials warned that strict legal action would be taken against violators.
When the polling preparations were completed, a total of 551 polling stations, out of 1,391, were declared highly sensitive, 349 were categorized as sensitive and 488 fell under the normal category.
Security arrangements were made at the polling stations according to their category.
Of Gilgit’s 253 polling stations, 154 were declared highly sensitive, 48 were categorized as sensitive and 51 as normal. In Ghizer, 69 out of 207 stations were declared highly sensitive, 52 sensitive and 83 normal.
Of Nagar’s 85 polling stations, 18 were declared highly sensitive, 39 sensitive and 28 normal, while 24 of Hunza’s 88 polling stations were categorized as highly sensitive, 31 as sensitive and 33 as normal.
In Skardu, 69 out of 208 polling stations were declared highly sensitive, 51 sensitive and 88 normal. Of Shigar’s 71 stations, 17 were said to be highly sensitive, 23 sensitive and 31 normal, while in Kharmang, out of 43 polling stations, 21 were declared highly sensitive, 10 sensitive and 12 normal.
Similarly, 26 out of Ghanche’s 154 polling stations were categorized as highly sensitive, 39 as sensitive and 89 as normal, while out of 108 polling stations in Astore, 34 were declared highly sensitive, 34 sensitive and 40 normal.
Finally, 119 of Diamer’s 174 polling stations were declared highly sensitive, 22 sensitive and 33 normal.
Security
Security arrangements have been significantly improved throughout the region. Punjab Police personnel have arrived in Gilgit-Baltistan to assist local authorities, including a deployment of 5,000 officers for election security duties.
Read more: Security was tightened in GB as Section 144 was imposed in Diamer ahead of polls
In Shigar district, 350 Punjab Police personnel will work with the local police and other law enforcement agencies.
Another 150 police officers in the Islamabad Capital Territory – drawn from sensitive postings including the President’s House, the Prime Minister’s House and the Foreign Office’s security detail – have also been assigned electoral duty and are set to travel to the UK on Thursday and return on June 9.
Campaign
The election campaign took place in a politically uneven environment. While the PPP maintained a persistent and highly visible presence across Gilgit-Baltistan, the PTI’s central leadership was largely absent from the campaign trail. PTI leaders claimed that the party faced restrictions on holding rallies and public meetings, hampering its ability to freely campaign. The conditions turned the election campaign in favor of the traditional mainstream parties, especially the PPP and the PML-N, which emerged as the dominant players in the campaign.
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was among the most active leaders on the campaign trail, covering the entire region extensively. He had called for GB to be granted the same constitutional rights and powers that the provinces have under the 18th Amendment, arguing that this is the only way for the people of the region to have true ownership of their resources.
Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) was the newest entrant in the political landscape and launched its campaign in the region about 10 weeks before the elections. Taking advantage of the reduced political space for the PTI, the party managed to recruit several prominent political heavyweights and quickly establish a presence in the contest.
Led by Federal Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, the IPP sought to woo voters with promises of infrastructure development, expressing confidence that its development-focused agenda would translate into seats in the Assembly.
The PPP was further helped by dissatisfaction among sections of the electorate with the PML-N-led government over its response to protests that turned deadly in the wake of the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader.
Political observers believe the situation allowed the PPP to shape much of the campaign’s narrative ahead of election day.
The PML-N had fielded senior leaders on the ground, with Rafique, Khurram Dastgir Khan and Abid Sher Ali leading rallies across several districts. Federal ministers Attaullah Tarar and Amir Muqam have also been active on the trail. Addressing a rally earlier this week, party president Nawaz Sharif promised infrastructure, aviation and energy projects for the region and vowed to raise GB’s concerns with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, on the other hand, had claimed that it is operating under significant restrictions, with its election symbol removed and leaders such as Asad Qaiser reportedly stopped traveling to the region. Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan maintained that the party would continue its campaign despite these restrictions.
