Unofficial results show PPP leading the GB race with victory on 10 seats – Pakistan

The voting process remained largely peaceful throughout the region.

However, as the voting closed, PPP Secretary General Nayyar Hussain Bukhari alleged delays in the provision of Form-45.

A Form-45 is the result of the vote count prepared by a presiding officer (PO) at each polling station.

“We have contacted the chief election commissioner and informed him about the matter,” Bukhari said in a statement.

Separately, PPP spokesperson Shazia Marri said in a statement that the “delay in the issuance of Form-45 was unacceptable”.

She also alleged that voter lists were altered before the election and polling stations were changed, saying that these actions indicated rigging.

PPP alleged earlier that the Balachi polling station in Astore-II’s Bunji area was relocated from the roadside to the top of a hill overnight while the voting was underway.

In a post on X, the party noted that the polling station had 206 registered voters, asserting that the “local population is known for its strong support” of the PPP.

“This decision appears to be an attempt to affect the PPP’s vote bank and discourage voters from participating in the polling process,” it alleged.

The party added that residents blocked the Gilgit-Skardu Road in protest of this action.

In her statement, Marri said the PPP would not let an attempt to steal the public’s mandate succeed.

She demanded that the Election Commission fulfill its constitutional responsibility and issue correct results.

Meanwhile, PPP’s Nadeem Afzal accused the federal government of “electoral engineering”, alleging that two federal ministers present in GB were pressuring the administration and state machinery to influence results. “The presence of Amir Muqam and Aleem Khan in GB and their activities go against the requirements of a fair election,” he added.

“There are also reports that presiding officers are being pressurised not to issue Form-45, which raises a question on the election’s transparency,” Chan said in a statement.

PPP Secretary General also made these allegations in a video statement.

Similarly, the PTI claimed in a statement that its candidates were leading, according to initial and unofficial results.

“PTI candidates were clearly leading until 7pm. However, immediately afterwards, results from certain polling stations began to emerge with suspiciously high turnouts exceeding 80 per cent and individual ballot boxes having 700-800 votes. These figures raise serious doubts and suspicions,” the party said.

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.

As polling began, GB Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Shahbaz Khan visited various polling stations across Gilgit city to review the process, security arrangements and the overall electoral environment.

He also inspected the facilities and arrangements provided to voters at the polling stations and met polling agents representing different candidates.

Speaking to PTV News, Khan noted that he had visited around 10 polling stations, where security arrangements were satisfactory.

He said women were turning out in large numbers to cast ballots, which reflected strong public awareness about the importance of exercising their democratic right.

He added that all political parties were participating peacefully in the electoral process.

GB caretaker Interior Minister Sajid Ali Baig said he visited various polling stations, where the overall environment remained peaceful.

According to APP, he told a local media outlet that there were public demands for further deployment of police forces in some areas for smooth and secure polling.

The minister said minor irregularities observed at certain locations were being addressed promptly by the authorities concerned.

PPP fielded 23 candidates, PML-N 22, Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) 15, PML-Q 11, Tehreek-i-Islami Pakistan 10, Pakistan Nazriyati Party (PNP) also 10, while nine candidates from the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) also contested the elections.

Separately, the GB Supreme Appellate Court directed the election commission to hold elections in a free and fair manner after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Sohail Afridi wrote to Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan.

In a video statement issued early in the morning, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari urged the public across GB to turn up in large numbers and cast their vote on the party’s “arrow” symbol.

“I want to get the people of Gilgit-Baltistan haq-i-hakmiyat (right to govern). I want to get Gilgit-Baltistan constitutional rights. Come, make PPP win so we can make GB the fifth province,” Bilawal said.

He further promised to provide “haq-i-rozgar (right to employment)” to the youth of GB if his party got elected.

“From the riverside to the peak of the mountains, I want to make you the owner of your land,” the PPP chairman said, adding that a vast area of land had been turned into “common land from state land”.

In his video statement, PML-N’s Rehman noted that his party held over 200 corner meetings, more than 40 jalsas and 11 rallies during the election campaign.

He apologised to PML-N supporters for not being able to visit various areas he wanted to due to party duties.

“I hope that your vote will be in support of progress, peace, development that has been paused since 2020, [and] for the eradication of load-shedding,” the former CM remarked.

Rehman emphasised his party’s pledge to work on development projects, construction of roads and metro buses, and better governance.