GILGIT: Pakistan army has been summoned to provide security during the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly elections being held on June 8.

According to reports, 6,000 officers and Jawans of Pakistan Army will be deployed for maintaining law and order between June 3 and 15.

A total of 268 candidates belonging to 16 religio-political parties and independents are in the fray for 24 seats of the Legislative Assembly. Central leaders of national political parties as well as local leaders of religious and regional parties are actively campaigning to muster support for their candidates. The election campaign will continue till June 6.

The main contesting parties in the elections are PPP, PML-N, PTI, JUI (F) Jamaat-e-Islami, Majlis-e-Wahadatul Muslameen, Islami Tehrik Pakistan, MQM, Awami Workers Party and others.

There are more than 618,000 registered voters. The Election Commission has established 1,143 polling stations in seven districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Of these 282 polling stations have been declared highly sensitive, 269 sensitive and 592 as normal.—INP