Bilawal claims PPP emerging as single largest party in Gilgit-Baltistan elections

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari declared Monday that his party was emerging as the single largest force in Gilgit-Baltistan after vote counting concluded following Sunday's regional elections.

He said the PPP would seek to form the next government in the mountainous northern territory.

Who is leading the Gilgit-Baltistan election results?

Unofficial results for all 24 directly elected seats showed the PPP leading with victories in 10 constituencies. PML-N secured six seats, while independent candidates, including two backed by PTI, won seven.

Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen won one seat. Bilawal said the party would attempt to form the government based on these early figures.

What did Bilawal Bhutto Zardari say about the GB elections?

In a post on X, Bilawal thanked voters and congratulated party workers on what he called a victory.

"The Pakistan Peoples Party is emerging as the single largest party and we will be attempting to form government," he said. The PPP chairman described the result as a mandate from the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

How many seats does the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly have?

The Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly has 33 seats in total. Twenty-four members are elected directly, while six seats are reserved for women and three for technocrats and professionals.

Political parties nominate candidates for the reserved seats through proportional representation, meaning the final seat tally could shift once those allocations are made.

When were the Gilgit-Baltistan elections held?

Polling for the 24 contested seats concluded Sunday evening under tight security arrangements. The elections were held after a four-month delay that authorities attributed to harsh winter weather.

A total of 396 candidates contested the polls, including 266 independents, with eight women among those who stood for election.

How many voters were registered for the GB elections?

Election officials recorded 963,034 registered voters across the region's 10 districts, comprising 566,097 men and 396,937 women. The voting process remained largely peaceful on polling day. Both major parties, however, raised formal complaints once polling had ended.

What complaints did PPP raise about the Gilgit-Baltistan vote?

PPP Secretary General Nayyar Hussain Bukhari alleged delays in the issuance of Form-45, the document presiding officers prepare at polling stations to record vote-count results.

"We have contacted the chief election commissioner and informed him about the matter," Bukhari said. PPP spokesperson Shazia Marri separately called the delays unacceptable and alleged that voter lists had been altered and polling stations changed before election day.

The PPP also alleged that a polling station in the Bunji area of Astore-II was moved overnight from a roadside location to the top of a hill. The party said the station had 206 registered voters and claimed the relocation was designed to suppress turnout among its supporters. Residents reportedly blocked the Gilgit-Skardu Road in protest.

What did PTI allege about the Gilgit-Baltistan election results?

PTI also questioned the electoral process, saying its candidates had been leading in initial unofficial results before figures from some stations showed unusually high turnout and large vote counts in individual ballot boxes.

The party said its polling agents were not provided Form-46, which it called a violation of election law. PTI also claimed fake ballot papers had been found in several areas, including Nagar.

The party alleged that voter lists had been tampered with before polling and that its candidates and workers faced pressure during the campaign period.

PTI said it would pursue constitutional, legal and democratic avenues to protect votes cast for its candidates. It called for the immediate release of authentic polling station results, provision of election forms to all candidates and an investigation into what it described as suspicious polling stations.