GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission on Thursday postponed by-elections in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly constituency (GBLA-6), Hunza, because of harsh weather conditions in the region.

Earlier, the commission had announced that by-polls in GBLA-6, Hunza, would be held on Jan 28, 2016. The seat had fallen vacant following the appointment of Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan as GB governor. He had won the seat in GBLA elections held on June 8 this year.

According to a notification issued by the Chief Election Commissioner’s office here, the by-elections had been postponed on the request of political parties following harsh weather conditions in the region. It says that the polls could not be conducted due to severe climatic obstacles in almost all the remote areas of the constituency, which could affect accessibility of the voters, polling staff and election materials.

It said that the aim of holding fair polls could not be achieved in the present circumstances.

An official of the GB Election Commission told Dawn that holding elections in the Hunza constituency was not possible during the cold weather conditions in the area. He said that the decision of postponement of elections had been taken on the request of GB Chief Secretary Tahir Hussain Shah.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2015