PML-Q announces 13 candidates for GB Assembly elections

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has announced party tickets for its candidates for the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections, with the list issued by party spokesperson Mustafa Malik on Sunday.

The candidates were finalised with the approval of parliamentary board chairman Chaudhry Salik Hussain. The party said members of the parliamentary board, including Tariq Hassan, Dr Muhammad Amjad, Malik Sameen, Kamran Usmani and Niaz Khaskheli, also visited Gilgit and Skardu during the consultation process.

PML-Q provincial president Dilfraz Khan briefed the central leadership on preparations for the elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, the statement said.

The party has fielded candidates from Gilgit, Nagar, Hunza, Skardu, Astore, Diamer, Ghizer and Ghanche districts. Under the announced list, Dilfraz Khan will contest from GBA-1 Gilgit-I, Asim Khan from GBA-2, Muhammad Sharif from GBA-3 Gilgit-III, Abid Hussain from GBA-5 Nagar-I and Khushnoor Didar from GBA-6 Hunza-I.

Captain Sikandar Ali has been nominated from GBA-8 Skardu-II, while Captain (retd) Mehdi Khan will contest from GBA-12 Shigar-I. Ghazanfar Akram Khan has been named for GBA-14 Astore-II, Noorul Haq Hab-ul-Haq Khan for GBA-15 Diamer-I, Sher Alam Gozri for GBA-19 Ghizer-I, Bakhtawar Shah for GBA-20 Ghizer-II, Tajwar Hussain for GBA-21 Ghizer-III and Sheikh Altaf Hussain for GBA-24 Ghanche-III.

The Express Tribune report said the party had issued tickets to 11 candidates, but the constituency-wise list released in the same report named 13 individuals.

Party leadership statements

Chaudhry Salik Hussain said the party was entering the elections with a focus on serving the public and wanted to promote development and prosperity in the region.

Dilfraz Khan said the party’s nominees had full trust in the leadership and would run an active campaign.

PML-Q had led the ruling coalition at the Centre between 2002 and 2008.