GILGIT, March 22: The ruling PML candidates bagged all six seats reserved for technocrats and four of six women’ seats in the Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) on Wednesday. Independent candidates, backed by legislators belonging to the Alliance for Restoration of Demoacracy, secured only two seats reserved for women.

According to unofficial results announced by returning officer Mohammad Abbas Baytham, PML’s Mohammad Aslam was elected from Gilgit district by bagging 13 votes, Jan Alam won from Diamer district by securing 17 votes, Ali Murad won from Ghizer after getting 14 votes. PML’s Nasrullah Khan emerged as winner from the Astore district by getting 15 votes, Ghulam Hussain, also of the PML, won NALC seat from Gangche district by securing 17 votes.

Ghulam Nabi won from Skardu district. He secured 17 votes.

The returning officer said that Rani Atiqa Ghazanfar Ali Khan, an independent candidate backed by ARD, won a seat after she secured 13 votes.

Another independent candidate, Gul Mera, won from Diamer district after bagging 12 votes. She was also backed by ARD legislators.

PML’s Noorul Ain secured a seat from Ghizer district. She got 13 votes.

Another PML candidate, Amna, won from Gangche district by securing 13 votes. Fauzia Saleem Abbas, also of the PML, secured a seat from Skardu after bagging 14 votes.

PML’s candidate from Astore Shahida Shafi was elected unopposed, the returning officer said.

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