GILGIT: Islami Tehreek Pakistan candidate Ayub Waziri won the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly by-election in the Nagar constituency defeating ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) candidate Zulfiqar Ali Behashti by 279 votes.

According to unofficial results, Mr Waziri secured 5,341 votes while Mr Behashti got 5,062 votes and PPP candidate Javed Hussain bagged 4194 votes.

The GB Assembly seat fell vacant after the opposition leader from the PPP, who had won two seats in general elections in November last year, quit the Nagar constituency seat.

The polling for the by-election was held in a peaceful manner on Sunday.

After elections results appeared from polling stations, protesting PTI workers gathered outside the office of the returning officer in Sikandarabad. They chanted slogans in favour of their candidate and blocked Karakorum Highway by burning tyres on the road.

Police used tear gas and shelling to disperse the protesters. Clashes also erupted between the protesters and police in which a constable was injured.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2021