GILGIT, May 2: No referendum was held in the five districts of Northern Areas in connection with the presidential referendum as the region was not a constitutional part of the country.

Before the referendum, there were speculations that President Musharraf might extend his referendum constituency to the region but all proved wrong when Northern Areas’ chief executive, Abbas Sarfraz Khan during his pre-referendum visit to the NAs regretted that he was aware of the fact that the people of the Northern Areas did not have the right to vote. However, prior arrangements were made for the people from the four provinces, temporarily settled in the region in connection with jobs and businesses. Some district and union council chairmen of Diamer district had reportedly gone to adjoining districts of Kohistan and Hazara to facilitate the president’s campaign.

BY-ELECTION: Ghulam Mohammad, a PPP candidate was declared successful unofficially in the byelection held for the Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC) on April 30 in NA-21 in Yaseen constituency of Ghizer districts who routed Mohammad Ayub, a PML (N) candidate.

The seat had fallen vacant after the resignation of Raja Jalaluddin, a PML (N) candidate, who joined the Northern Areas Chief Court as a member of the court in February.

The PPP said that after the victory of Ghulam Mohammad its strength in NALC had now increased to nine.