GB Elections 2026: Voting, unofficial results

By Sheeraz Soomro

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Jun 08, 2026

GB Elections 2026 live updates: Polling ended, unofficial results coming in

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Polling has ended for the general elections on 24 seats of the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Assembly, marking the conclusion of a closely contested electoral battle in the region, as unofficial results are now coming in.

Voting commenced in the morning and continued uninterrupted until 5pm. A total of 958,480 registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the elections. More than 400 candidates are in the running, with 403 contenders competing for the 24 assembly seats.

A keen contest is expected among several political parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), alongside other political groups and independent candidates.

GB Elections 2026 Unofficial Results

Gilgit Baltistan EC orders Presiding officers to provide Form 45 to polling agents

The Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Election Commission (EC) has directed all presiding officers in Gilgit-Baltistan to provide a copy of Form 45 to polling agents.

The development comes after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Qamar Zaman Kaira demanded the mandatory provision of the form.

The Election Commission has instructed presiding officers across all 24 constituencies to strictly follow the guidelines and ensure that polling agents receive at least one attested copy of Form 45.

According to the EC, ensuring the provision of Form 45 is a mandatory requirement under the Elections Act 2017.

GB Election Commission refutes notification claiming Riyaz Akbar’s disqualification as fake

The Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan has dismissed as fake a notification circulating on social media that purportedly relates to the disqualification of election candidate Riyaz Akbar.

In a statement, the commission said the document had not been issued by the Election Commission and carries no legal or administrative validity.

The commission further stated that the name and signature of the Provincial Election Commissioner had been fraudulently used on the forged notification, describing the act as a punishable offence under the law.

Gilgit-Baltistan Election 2026: Full Constituency List & Major Candidates Battleground

Security arrangements

Authorities said foolproof security arrangements were put in place for the elections. Personnel from the local police, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts, and contingents from Punjab and Sindh police have been deployed to perform security duties at polling stations and other key locations.

Additional security personnel were deployed at vulnerable locations, while law enforcement agencies and the district administration are on high alert throughout the election process.

Speaking to journalists, GB Inspector General of Police Nasir Akbar Khan said that more than 17,500 personnel were deployed for security during the electoral process.

Key Candidates & Crucial Electoral Battles

To secure a simple majority and independently form the regional government, a political party must hit the magic number of 17 seats. Given the diverse socio-political landscape of the territory, several key matchups are drawing intense scrutiny.
Gilgit Division: The Central Power Corridor

GBA-1 (Gilgit-I): A premier battleground featuring Amjad Hussain Azar, the regional president of the PPP. Azar’s performance carries tremendous weight for the party’s overall standing in the Gilgit division, where he faces a tight challenge from the federal coalition-backed PML-N and an anti-incumbency push from youth-voted independent alignments.

GBA-2 (Gilgit-II): This seat anchors the campaign of former Chief Minister and PML-N regional chief Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman. Rehman is banking heavily on his past infrastructure development record to ward off major pushes from the PPP and local independent blocs.

Baltistan Division: The Battle of Heavyweights

GBA-7 (Skardu-I): A textbook clash of regional political titans. Veteran politician and the first-ever elected Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Syed Mehdi Shah (PPP), faces off in a high-stakes encounter heavily influenced by local community councils.

GBA-8 (Skardu-II): Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi, the former Speaker of the GB Assembly, leads the charge here. Operating as a prominent independent due to the technical landscape shifts governing the PTI ticket layout, Zaidi remains a highly influential grassroots figure against traditional party candidacies.

Nationalist & Tribal Strongholds

GBA-20 (Ghizer-II): Historically independent-minded and detached from federal party waves, this seat centers on veteran nationalist leader Nawaz Khan Naji of the Balawaristan National Front (BNF-Naji). Naji’s deep-rooted localized influence makes him a distinct powerhouse in the Ghizer valley.

Diamer & Astore (GBA-13 to GBA-18): These seats are heavily dictated by local tribal Jirgas (councils) and local alliances. The political footprints of the outgoing setup under Haji Gulbar Khan heavily impact voter splits here, running alongside strong traditional vote-banks held by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F).

Ghanche (GBA-22 to GBA-24): As the center of the Noorbakhshia community, mainstream parties rarely succeed here without community consensus. Political dynamics across these three constituencies rely on endorsements from local religious and social welfare councils.

GB Elections 2026 live updates: Polling ended, unofficial results coming in