- Election body orders re-polling in five constituencies.
- Form-47s finalised but await re-polling results: CEC.
- Parties raised concerns over electoral transparency.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz on Tuesday announced that final results for multiple constituencies were withheld until the completion of partial re-polling scheduled for next week.
The announcement came amid concerns raised by several political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), over the transparency of the Gilgit-Baltistan elections.
They alleged delays in the announcement of results, irregularities in the issuance of Form-45s, and attempts to influence outcomes as unofficial results began to emerge.
In response to the complaints, the election authorities ordered re-polling in selected polling stations across five constituencies: GBA-8, GBA-13 Astore, GBA-15 Diamer-I, GBA-16 Diamer-II and GBA-17 Diamer-III, rather than annulling results for entire seats.
Speaking to Geo News, CEC Shahbaz confirmed that re-polling has been scheduled for June 15 in the affected polling stations.
He said final results for all constituencies would remain suspended until voting was conducted again in the identified areas.
According to the CEC, re-polling would be held in 10 polling stations in GBA-8, one in GBA-13 Astore, one in GBA-15 Diamer-I, three in GBA-16 Diamer-II, and 11 in GBA-17 Diamer-III.
Shahbaz also confirmed that Form-47s for all constituencies had been finalised, but said their issuance would only be completed after the conclusion of the re-polling process.
PPP emerges as single largest party
The Bilawal Bhutto-led PPP has emerged as the single largest party in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections, with unofficial and preliminary results showing it secured 10 of the 24 seats.
According to unofficial and unconfirmed results, the PPP won constituencies including GBA-1, GBA-4, GBA-5, GBA-7, GBA-9, GBA-10, GBA-11, GBA-12, GBA-17 and GBA-19.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured four seats, winning in GBA-2, GBA-18, GBA-20 and GBA-22.
Independent candidates collectively won seven constituencies, including GBA-3, GBA-6, GBA-15, GBA-16, GBA-21, GBA-23 and GBA-24, while the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) claimed one seat in GBA-8, according to preliminary and unconfirmed results.
With no party securing a simple majority, sources indicated that a coalition government between the PPP and PML-N was likely to take shape in Gilgit-Baltistan.
They added that the arrangement could mirror a PDM-style formula, under which the chief minister’s office may go to the PPP, while the governor’s post could be allotted to the PML-N. Ministries in the proposed setup are expected to be divided under a 60-40 formula between the two parties.
Following the preliminary results, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had congratulated the people of Gilgit-Baltistan on the peaceful conduct of the elections and felicitated the PPP for emerging as the largest party in the region.
