• Preliminary count has PPP ahead on 10 seats; PML-N has upper hand in six constituencies
• Independents carve out leads on five seats; PTI-aligned candidates set to claim two districts; MWM ahead in one race
• PPP, PTI complain of widespread irregularities
GILGIT: The PPP appeared to be leading in the unofficial, early tallies for 24 seats of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, even as political parties cried foul and levelled serious allegations of vote-rigging.
The preliminary count from Sunday’s closely watched polls indicates the PPP is currently leading in 10 constituencies; with the PML-N ahead in six, and independent candidates holding the lead in five constituencies.
Meanwhile, PTI-backed independent candidates, contesting without their party’s traditional electoral symbol, were ahead on two seats, while their ally, the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen, was leading the race in one constituency.
According to unofficial and unverified results, shared by the Gilgit Baltistan Election Commission, PPP regional president Amjad Hussain is leading in GBA-1 (Gilgit), while former chief minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman of the PML-N is ahead in GBA-2 (Gilgit).
PTI-backed independent Sohail Abbas is currently leading the GBA-3 (Gilgit) constituency.
In Nagar, Muhammad Ali Akhtar is leading in GBA-4 and Zulfiqar Ali Murad is ahead in GBA-5.
Across the Skardu district and neighbouring areas, the PPP was also leading in five additional seats: Syed Tauqeer Mehdi in GBA-7 (Skardu), Fida Muhammad Nashad in GBA-9 (Skardu), Nasir Ali Khan in GBA-10 (Rondu), Iqbal Hassan in GBA-11 (Kharmang), and Imran Nadeem in GBA-12 (Shigar).
The MWM’s sole lead is in GBA-8 (Skardu), where Muhammad Kazim is ahead.
The PML-N demonstrates concentrated support in the Astore district, where Rana Farman Ali and Rana Muhammad Farooq are leading in GBA-13 and GBA-14, respectively. The party is also ahead through Kifayat ur Rehman in GBA-18 (Tangir), Abdul Jahan in GBA-20 (Ghizer), and Muhammad Ibrahim in GBA-22 (Ghanche).
Independent candidates are currently leading across Diamer, Yasin, and Ghanche. Muhammad Dilpazir and Imam Malik are ahead in GBA-15 and GBA-16 in Diamer. In Yasin, Aman Ali is leading in GBA-21, while independents Anwar and Asad Shafiq are holding leads in GBA-23 and GBA-24 in Ghanche.
Rounding out the preliminary results, PTI-backed independent Naik Nam Karim is leading in GBA-6 (Hunza). In Darel, PPP’s Muhammad Naseem is ahead in GBA-17, and his party colleague Syed Jalal is leading in GBA-19 in Ghizer.
Rigging allegations
Despite their early lead, the PPP was among the parties most vocal in their complaints of alleged irregularities and rigging. Both the PPP and the PTI separately accused officials of delaying the release of official paperwork used to verify results at the polling-station level.
PPP Secretary General Nayyar Hussain Bukhari alleged that presiding officers refused to provide Form-45, the official vote count prepared at each polling station.
“We have contacted the chief election commissioner and informed him about the matter,” Bukhari said in a statement.
PPP spokesperson Shazia Marri called the delay unacceptable, adding that altered voter lists and shifted polling stations indicated systemic rigging.
The PPP, which is a coalition partner in the federal government, alleged that the Balachi polling station in Astore-II’s Bunji area was relocated from a roadside to a hilltop overnight, prompting residents to block the Gilgit-Skardu Road in protest.
Concurrently, the PTI, whose candidates ran as independents after the party lost its electoral symbol, also alleged manipulation after initially claiming its candidates were ahead in several constituencies.
In a statement, the party said its candidates were leading until 7pm, after which “suspicious results” began to emerge, including reported turnouts above 80 per cent and individual ballot boxes containing “700 to 800 votes”.
It further said, “This is a blot on the entire electoral process and its transparency.”
The PTI also alleged that its polling agents were not being issued Form-46, terming it a “clear violation of election laws that has further intensified fears of result manipulation”.
It said reports had emerged of members of other parties being caught red-handed with fake ballot papers in multiple areas, including Nagar.
“This rigging is part of a well-planned and systematic conspiracy,” the party has claimed.
It alleged that before polling, voter lists were tampered with in specific constituencies, police and administration were used to change delimitation and polling schemes, and opposition candidates and workers were “systematically harassed and pressurised”.
The PTI warned that any attempt to manipulate the results would have serious consequences.
“PTI will employ every constitutional, legal, and democratic avenue to protect the votes of its supporters. We demand that authentic results from all polling stations be released immediately, Form-45 and Form-46 be provided to every candidate without delay, a swift inquiry be conducted into suspicious polling stations with strict action against those responsible, and the Election Commission fulfil its constitutional duty by ensuring complete transparency,” the party stated.
The sharp accusations came after officials earlier presented a more positive picture of the voting process.
Gilgit-Baltistan’s chief election commissioner, Raja Shahbaz Khan, visited about 10 polling stations across Gilgit city and said security arrangements were satisfactory. He also noted a high turnout among women, with 396,937 registered female voters in the region.
Caretaker interior minister Sajid Ali Baig similarly described the day as generally peaceful, though he acknowledged minor irregularities and said authorities had responded quickly.
The election was held after a four-month delay attributed to harsh winter weather. In total, 396 candidates contested the vote, including 266 independents and eight women, competing for 24 of the assembly’s 33 seats. Officials said 963,034 registered voters were eligible to cast ballots across 10 districts.
The highly competitive race featured 23 candidates from the PPP, 22 from the PML-N, and a 22-candidate alliance between the PTI and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen.
Attention has now turned to the outcome and the likely contest for the chief ministership. Among the leading contenders are the PPP’s regional president, Amjad Hussain, contesting from GBA-1, and the PML-N’s regional president, Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, contesting from GBA-2
Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2026
