Voting underway for general elections in Gilgit-Baltistan

SKARDU: Voting underway for the general elections of Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly amid tight security, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The polling started at 8am and will continue until 5 pm without any break. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) are among the parties contesting for the 23 constituencies of the GB assembly.

A three-pronged contest between the PTI, People’s Party and PML-N is expected as the opinion polls suggesting PTI ahead in the contest.

The registered voters in the area are 745361 and 1160 polling stations have been set up across GB among which 418 has been declared very sensitive and 311 as sensitive.

Meanwhile, polling in constituency GBA-3 has been postponed due to the death of a candidate. The polling will now take place on November 22.

More than 15000 security personnel from GB, Punjab, KPK, Sind and Bolochistan are deployed at their respective polling stations across GB.

GB police chief Dr. Mujeebur Rehman has said that the military troops could also be deployed for assistance in the election if required, he added.

Election Commission Gilgit-Baltistan has prohibited to carry mobile phones and other such devices inside the polling stations and within the parameters of 100 meters.

The elections will be held in 23 constituencies in the region, each electing a member to the 3rd Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly. In the 33 members’ house, six seats are reserved for women and three for technocrats.