GILGIT/SKARDU The first elections for the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly were held largely peacefully across the region on Thursday, with no major incident of violence reported during the polling.
According to unofficial results announced around midnight, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) appeared poised to win a majority in the assembly. Despite chilly weather, people in large numbers came out to cast their vote to elect their representatives to the assembly that will enjoy more powers under the political reforms recently introduced by the government.
The high voter turnout was, however, tainted by allegations of rigging in some rural constituencies.
Large queues of men and women were seen outside polling stations in most areas.
The only exception was the southern district of Diamer where conservative contestants of all major parties did not allow women to come out to vote.
An untoward incident, the worst of the day, was reported from the LA-15 constituency of Chilas where supporters of PML-Q candidate Bashir Ahmed and independent Mohamed Amin pelted each other with stones and several people were injured.
There were complaints about interference in polling by activists of different parties from some hotly contested electoral wards, including LA-3, Danyor, near the city of Gilgit. Candidates complained that women voters had been prevented from voting at two booths by activists of some parties, prompting the home secretary to deploy paramilitary units.
Two people were injured in a clash in Dasso Nit village of Shigar valley between supporters of Raja Azam Khan of the MQM and Imran Nadeem of the PPP.
Police registered a case against 45 people. In the Wazir Pur area of the same constituency, supporters of the PPP reportedly pelted their rivals with stones.
Official results will be declared on Saturday. Despite complaints about a last-minute revision of voter lists, the results are expected to be accepted by most parties which will now focus to the next phase in which the assembly will elect six women and three technocrats to reserved seats.
The assembly will then elect the region’s first chief minister. The Pakistan People’s Party’s regional chief Syed Mehdi Shah has emerged as a front-runner for the post. Polling got under way at 8am and wrapped up by 4pm. In all, 256 candidates were vying for 23 seats.
The election in LA-19, Ghizer, was postponed after the death of a candidate. Only those possessing Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) were allowed to vote.
By arrangement with Dawn
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