World ( The cow news digital ) Early unofficial and preliminary results from the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly elections indicate that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has taken an initial lead, securing nine seats as vote counting continues across the region’s 24 constituencies.
According to partial results reported by local media sources, outcomes have been confirmed in 18 constituencies so far. PPP candidates have won in several key areas, including constituencies 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 19, placing the party at the forefront of the ongoing tally.
Independent candidates have also performed strongly, winning six seats, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has secured two seats. The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) has claimed one seat in the evolving results.
The election for the 24 directly elected seats in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly is being closely watched, as any party or coalition requires at least 17 seats to form a government. With results still incomplete, the final composition of the assembly remains uncertain.
In several constituencies, closely contested races have been reported. In Gilgit-1, PPP’s Amjad Hussain secured victory with 10,594 votes, while PML-N’s Muhammad Shafiq-ud-Din finished second with 6,312 votes. In Gilgit-3, an independent candidate, Syed Sohail Abbas, won with 7,877 votes, narrowly defeating PPP’s Aftab Haider, who received 7,361 votes.
In Nagar-1, PPP’s Muhammad Ali Akhtar emerged victorious, while in Nagar-2, PPP also secured another win through Zulfiqar Ali Murad. Meanwhile, in Hunza, independent candidate Nek Nam Karim won the seat, reflecting a strong performance by non-party candidates in several constituencies.
Skardu and Ghanche districts also witnessed tight contests, with PPP and independent candidates competing closely in multiple constituencies. In Ghanche-2, PML-N’s Ibrahim Sanai secured a win, while independents claimed victories in Ghanche-3 and Ghanche-4.
In Astor, PML-N managed to win both contested seats, while in Diamer and Ghizer, results showed mixed leads between independent candidates, PPP, and PML-N contenders, highlighting a fragmented electoral outcome across the region.
Security measures were also reported around the Election Commission offices in Gilgit-Baltistan, where access routes were restricted and additional barriers placed as counting continued.
Officials have emphasized that these results are unofficial and subject to final verification by the Election Commission. With several constituencies still pending, the final picture of the assembly is expected to emerge once counting is completed across all polling stations.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly consists of 33 seats in total, including 24 directly elected members, six reserved seats for women, and three for technocrats. A party or alliance requires 17 seats to form the government.
