GILGIT / SKARDU, Nov 13 The Pakistan People's Party has won 12 of 23 contested seats and became the largest party in the 33-seat Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, according to unofficial results released by the region's Election Commission.

PML-N secured only two seats.

The result in one constituency was withheld after the polling agent of an independent candidate was killed in a clash in Darel of the southern Diamer district on Thursday while polling was put off in another area after the death of a candidate. The fiercely-contested elections were largely peaceful with a high voter turnout. There were allegations of rigging in some constituencies.

The newly-elected lawmakers will first elect six women and three technocrats on reserved seats, after which the assembly, minus LA-19 (Sher Qila-Chatorkhand in Ghizer district), would elect the region's first chief minister.

PPP's regional chief Syed Mehdi Shah has emerged as a front-runner for the post after his party bagged seven out of the nine seats in the two districts of Baltistan.

The PPP had fielded 23 candidates, Muttahida Qaumi Movement 18, Pakistan Muslim League-N 15, PML-Q 14 and the Awami National Party three. The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), Jamaat-i-Islami and the Tehrik-i-Insaaf had fielded two candidates each. But the JI, PTI and the ANP could not get a single seat. The PML-Q, MQM, and JUI-F won one seat each while independents secured four.

The elections were monitored by various human rights organisations and NGOs.

According to District Election Commissioner Asad Zamin, Syed Raziuddin (ind) was declared successful in one of the most sensitive constituency, LA-1. He bagged 10,080 votes, defeating PML-N's Jafarullah.

The LA-2 seat was won by independent candidate Didar Ali who bagged 5,300 votes and defeated strong candidates fielded by the PML-N and the PPP.

The official said that results for LA-3 had been withheld because of complaints about transparency. He said that re-election would be held in four polling stations, he said.

He said that PPP candidate Mohammad Ali Akhtar won LA-4 (Nagar-I) with 4,200 votes while LA-5 was secured by PML-Q's Mirza Hussain who defeated PPP's Zulfiqar Ali Murad. Mr Hussain is the only PML-Q contestant to retain his seat in the region's assembly.

In LA-6, PPP's Wazir Baig was declared successful. He bagged 5,414 votes, defeating MQM's Kamil Jan.

Election results of nine constituencies of Baltistan division's two districts were announced by the District Election Commissioners of Skardu and Ghangche.

According to unofficial results, seven of nine seats have been won by the PPP while MQM and PML- None seat each.

In LA -7 (Skardu-I), Syed Mehdi Shah of PPP obtained 6,697 votes, defeating PML-Q's Wazir Villayat Ali who got 1,909. Former deputy chief executive Fida Mohammad Nashad of the PML-N received just 286.

In LA-8 (Skardu-II), PPP's Sheikh Nisar Hussain Sarbaz won with 8,077 votes, while his opponent Syed Mohammad Ali Shah (Ind) received 4,609.

In LA-9 (Skardu-III), WazirShakeel Ahmedwith 6,181 votes while Haji Fida Mohammad Nashad of the PML-N got 3,312.

Results for the Gultary sub-division is still awaited because of communication problems caused by heavy snowfall.

The LA-10 (Skardu-IV) in the Roundu valley was won by Wazir Hassan of the PPP who got 4,551 votes against journalist-turned politician Raja Hussain Khan Maqpon (ind) who secured 3,260.

In LA -11 (Skardu-V) in Kharmang valley, PPP's Syed Mohammad Ali Shah got 4,368 votes, against 3,180 votes polled by Fauzia Saleem Abbas.

In LA-12 (Skardu-VI) in Shigar valley, MQM's Raja Azam Khan was declared the winner with highest vote count - 10,606 - while PPP candidate Imran Nadeem got 8,852 votes.

In three constituencies of Ghanche district, unofficial results are as follows LA-22 (Ghanche-I), Mohammad Jaffer of PPP defeated Mohammad Ibrahim Sanai of PML-N.

In LA-23 (Ghanche-II), PML-N's Maulana Mohammad Abdullah won with 3,999 votes, while Amna Ansar of the PML-Q polled 3,885 votes. Ghulam Hussain of the PPP received 3,517 votes against MQM's Abid Hussainwho obtained 277.

In LA-24 (Ghanche-III), Mohammad Ismail of the PPP won for the fourth time from his constituency, bagging 5,557 votes. He defeated PML-N's Mohammad Shafique who got 4,067 votes.

In Ghizer district, elections were held in two constituencies and according to unofficial results, both were won by PPP candidates - Ali Mada Sher, who got 3,206 votes from LA-20 (Ghizer-II), defeating PML-N's Sultan Madad, who got 2,064 votes, and PPP's provincial secretary-general Ghulam Mohammad, who won the seat from LA-21 (Ghizer-III). He got 4,961 votes aginst Mohammed Ayub, an independent candidate, who secured 4,894.

Polls in LA-19, Ghizer-I was put off after the death of MQM's candidate.

PPP failed to win any seat in Diamer district, both of which were bagged by JUI-F.

Results of two constituencies were withheld because of violence.

In Astore district, a seat was secured by a PPP and the other by an independent candidate.

In LA-13 (Astore-I), Abdul Hameed (Ind) got 3,371 votes, defeating PML-N's Farman Ali who secured 3,342.

In LA-14 (Astore-II), PPP's Mohammed Naseer won by bagging 1,915 votes. He defeated Mehboob Khan, independent, who got 1,760 votes.