PTI rejects Gilgit-Baltistan election results, alleges 'widespread rigging'

-- Party demands re-election in Astore, plans protests and issuance of white paper on alleged electoral irregularities

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday rejected the tentative results of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly elections, alleging widespread rigging and electoral manipulation, and called for a re-election in a constituency of Astore district.

According to preliminary results from Sunday’s polls, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is leading in 10 constituencies, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is ahead in six seats. Independent candidates are leading in five constituencies.

Addressing a press conference, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan alleged that his party was systematically prevented from campaigning in the run-up to the elections as part of what he described as a deliberate plan to exclude PTI from the electoral process.

He said PTI-backed candidates were leading in two constituencies, including Hunza and Gilgit, while an allied candidate from Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen was ahead in Skardu. However, he claimed that PTI-supported candidates had secured clear leads in several other constituencies before the results were allegedly altered through electoral malpractice.

Barrister Gohar alleged that PTI had effectively won eight seats, including constituencies in Astore, Diamer, Nagar and Ghizer, but its victories were overturned through what he described as vote stuffing, bogus voting and result manipulation.

The PTI chairman specifically demanded a re-election in the Rehmanpur constituency of Astore, claiming that the party had identified 167 bogus votes and brought the matter to the attention of the presiding officer.

“PTI rejects the entire electoral process, the vote count and the results of this election,” he said, adding that once again a mandate had been awarded to parties that lacked genuine public support.

He announced that PTI would soon release a white paper documenting alleged irregularities and electoral violations. The party is also expected to launch protest demonstrations in Gilgit-Baltistan after consultations with its political allies.

Barrister Gohar further stated that PTI would observe a “black day” when the next chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan takes oath, describing the election outcome as unacceptable.

The PTI chief also demanded representation in the assembly’s reserved seats, calling for the allocation of one women’s seat and one technocrat seat to the party.

During the election process, PTI repeatedly complained of restrictions on its political activities, alleging that party leaders were detained, prevented from campaigning and expelled from the region. The party also accused election authorities of delaying the issuance of official polling documentation required to verify constituency-level results.

Separately, the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), led by opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, condemned what it described as efforts to exclude PTI from the democratic process in Gilgit-Baltistan.

In a statement issued after a consultative meeting, the alliance termed the GB elections an “action replay” of the 2024 general elections and rejected the results. The alliance questioned the credibility of the electoral process, arguing that elections lose significance if outcomes are predetermined.

TTAP also expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and urged authorities to address public grievances through dialogue. Referring to the recent ban on the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the alliance stated that prohibiting representative public organisations would not resolve political issues and that public opinion could not be suppressed through force.