GILGIT: PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, along with other party leaders, reported being prevented from entering Gilgit-Baltistan as they attempted to campaign ahead of the upcoming regional elections.
Raja shared on X that police halted their convoy near Jal Police Station, citing road closures, but he alleged that authorities had preemptively listed their names to restrict their movement. He noted that he, along with PTI leaders Shaukat Basra, Naeem Haider Panjutha, and Zaheer Babar, were escorted out of the region under police supervision, disrupting their campaign plans.
Meanwhile, the final list of candidates for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections has been announced, with 403 contenders vying for 24 seats. The race features 272 independents and 131 party-affiliated candidates, with PPPP leading with 23 nominations and PML-N close behind with 22. Other notable parties include Istehkam-e-Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami, MQM, and the Awami Workers Party.
The most crowded contests are in GBA-2 Gilgit-II, with 40 candidates, and GBA-14 Astore-II, with 33 contenders. Conversely, GBA-24 Ghanche-III has only 6 candidates. Notably, women’s participation remains minimal, with just 8 female candidates across all races.
As campaigns intensify, political activity has surged across Gilgit-Baltistan, setting the stage for a highly competitive election season.
