Polling for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections is underway, voters have been rushing to various polling stations since morning and people are standing in long queues to cast their votes._x000D_
Polling will continue without any break till 5 pm, people are excited on the occasion of the election._x000D_
On the other hand, there was a scuffle in Skardu when unrelated people came near the polling station, but the police controlled the situation._x000D_
In addition, Chief Election Commissioner Gilgit-Baltistan Raja Shahbaz visited various polling stations and said on this occasion that polling has started on time, people are casting their votes with enthusiasm._x000D_
It should be noted that according to the Election Commission, 1391 polling stations have been established in all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, 349 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 551 highly sensitive._x000D_
A total of more than 400 candidates are in the fray for the 24 seats of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, a total of 958,480 voters will exercise their right to vote._x000D_
PPP 23, PML-N 22, Ustad-e-Pakistan Party 15, Pakistan Muslim League 11 and JUI-F 9 candidates are in the fray._x000D_
MWM 7, Jamaat-e-Islami and MQM 6 candidates each are in the race, while 266 independent candidates are also contesting from different constituencies._x000D_
Foolproof security arrangements have been made to make the elections peaceful. A heavy contingent of local police, GB Scouts and Punjab Police is also present for security, and flag marches were conducted by law enforcement agencies in the constituencies._x000D_
Major contests expected in several constituencies in Gilgit-Baltistan general elections_x000D_
A tough contest is expected in GBA-1 Gilgit between PPP’s Amjad Hussain, PML-N’s Shafiquddin, IPP’s Sultan Raees and independent candidate Asif Usmani. A tough contest is expected in GBA-2 Gilgit between PML-N’s Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman, PP’s Jamil Ahmed, IPP’s Fatehullah and independent candidate Atiq Pirzada._x000D_
In GBA-18 Diamer, former Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan and IPP candidate Gulbar Khan is contesting against PML-N’s Kifayat-ur-Rehman._x000D_
In GBA-19 Ghizer, independent candidate Nawaz Khan Naji, PP’s Jalal Shah and PML-N’s Zafar Muhammad are the main candidates, similarly, independent candidate Shahida Khurshid, PML-N’s Rana Farman Ali and PPP’s Fahad Hanif are the main candidates.
