GILGIT: PPP candidate Akhtar Abbas Nashad secured lead of 145 votes over independent candidate Wazir Mohammad Saleem in the GBA-09 (Skardu-III) by-election, according to unofficial results after voting concluded on Saturday.
Unofficial results showed that the PPP candidate scored 8,383 votes while his opponent, independent candidate Wazir Mohammad Saleem, got 8,238 votes. Supporters of the PPP candidate celebrated the likely victory in Hussainabad and other areas.
With this seat, the PPP will hold 15 seats in the 33-seat Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly. Currently, the PPP has 14 seats, the PML-N has nine, the Istehkam-i-PakistanParty has six, and the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen and a PTI-backed independent occupyone seateach.
Polling concluded at all 61 polling stations amid tight security. The electoral process began at 8am. and continued until 5pm.
More than 800 police personnel, in addition to GB Scouts, were deployed under special security arrangements for the polling.
The electoral process remained largely smooth and peaceful. Over 33,500 voters, including 17,658 men and 15,868 women, were registered to cast their ballots in Saturday’s by-election.