Gilgit-Baltistan seeks Islamabad police support for peaceful elections

GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan government has sought additional personnel from Islamabad Police to help ensure the peaceful conduct of the Assembly General Elections 2026, scheduled for June 7.

According to sources, the Federal Interior Ministry is reviewing a request from the Gilgit-Baltistan government to deploy Islamabad Police personnel for election security duties across the region.

The ministry is expected to approve the deployment of up to 1,000 federal police officers to Gilgit-Baltistan.

Personnel from various wings of Islamabad Police will be assigned to election security operations, and lists of officers selected for deployment have already been prepared.

Authorities say the additional force will assist local law enforcement in maintaining law and order and ensuring a peaceful and transparent electoral process.

Read More: PTI’s Salman Raja says he was expelled from Gilgit-Baltistan

Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Tuesday released the final list of candidates for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections, showing that a total of 403 candidates will contest polls across 24 constituencies.

According to official data, 272 candidates are running as independents, while 131 candidates are contesting on tickets of various political parties.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leads the field with 23 candidates, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 22 candidates.

Other political parties participating in the elections include Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) with 15 candidates, Pakistan Muslim League with 11, Islami Tehreek Pakistan and Pakistan Nazriyati Party with 10 candidates each, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) with 9 candidates.

Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) has fielded 7 candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have nominated 6 candidates each. Awami Workers Party is represented by 4 candidates.

Constituency-wise details indicate that the most competitive contest is expected in GBA-2 Gilgit-II, where 40 candidates are vying for a single seat. The second-largest contest will take place in GBA-14 Astore-II, where 33 candidates are in the running. In contrast, GBA-24 Ghanche-III has the fewest candidates, with only 6 contestants.