ZULFIQAR AHMAD
ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the centre grabbed lion’s share in Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA) elections by securing 10 seats and is now eying two-third majority with the support of its ally Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) and seven independent candidates – majority of them are PTI loyalists who opted to contest independently after denied tickets.
According to unofficial results, the PTI bagged 10 seats, MWM managed to win 1 seat and independent candidates emerged victorious in seven constituencies and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) managed to clinch three seats, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) bagged two seats in elections held in 23 constituencies.
The election in one constituency – GBLA-3 (Gilgit-III) – was proponed due to death of PTI candidate Jafar Ali Shah, where the party is also likely to win again due to sympathy factor, and the deceased being the president PTI G-B.
In GBLA-1, Amjad Hussain of PPP emerged victorious with 11,178 votes, beating independent rival Sultan Rais who secured 8,356. PTI candidate Johar Ali managed third position with 403 votes.
PTI candidate Fatehullah Khan secured victory against PPP rival Jamil Ahmed for GBLA-2 seat. The PTI candidate bagged 6,696 votes versus 6,694 votes bagged by the PPP candidate, winning the seat by a mere two votes.
PPP candidate Amjad Hussain emerged victorious in GBLA-4 election by securing 4,716 votes. Muhammad Ayub of Islami Tehreek Pakistan (ITP) stood second with 4,291 votes while Zulfiqar Ali of PTI bagged 2,200 votes.
GBLA-5: Independent candidate Javed Ali Manwa won the polls by securing 2,570 votes while Rizwan Ali of Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen secured the second position with 1,850 votes.
GBLA-6: PTI's Ubaidullah Baig emerged victorious by clinching 6,600 votes while an independent candidate Noor Muhammad stood runners up with 4,584 votes.
GBLA-7: Raja Zakaria Khan Maqpoon of PTI defeated his rival Syed Mehdi Shah of PPP, former G-B chief minister, with 5,290 against 4,114 votes.
GBLA-8: Muhammad Kazim of Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) – an ally of PTI – won the elections in GBLA-8 by securing 7,534 votes against PPP’s Syed M Ali Shah who got 7,146 votes.
GBLA-9: Wazir Muhammad Saleem, an independent candidate, secured 6,286 votes against his rival Fida Muhammad Nashad of PTI who bagged 5,187 votes.
In GBLA-10, an independent candidate Raja Nasir Ali Khan emerged victorious by securing 4,667 votes and defeated Wazir Hassan of PTI, who clinched 3,344 votes.
GBLA-11: Syed Amjad Ali of PTI won the polls with 5,733 votes while an independent candidate Syed Musin Rizvi stood runners up with 2,016 votes.
GBLA-12: PTI’s Raja Azam Khan won the polls with 7,534 votes and defeated PPP’s Imran Nadeem who bagged 7,146 votes.
GBLA-13: PTI candidate Khalid Khurshid Khan emerged victorious with 4,836 votes against his rival Abdul Hameed Khan of PPP who secured 3,117 votes.
PTI’s Shamsul Haq Lone won GBLA-14 with 5,354 votes against his rival Muzaffar Ali of PPP who managed to get 3,473 votes.
GBLA-15: Independent candidate Shah Baig won the polls by bagging 2,713 votes while an independent candidate Muhammad Dilpazir stood runners up with 2,309 votes.
GBLA-16: PML-N’s Muhammad Anwar managed to get 4,813 votes against an independent candidate Attaullah who got 2,576 votes.
GBLA-17: PTI’s Haider Khan clinched 5,389 votes and defeated JUI-F’s Rehman Khaliq who nagged 5,162 votes.
GBLA-18: By securing 6,793 votes, Gul Bar Khan of PTI defeated an independent candidate Malik Kifayarur Rehman who got 5,986 votes.
GBLA-19: An independent candidate Nawaz Khan emerged on top with 6,208 votes, beating PPP's Syed Jalal Ali Shah who managed to get 4,967 votes.
GBLA-20: Nazir Ahmed of PTI won the polls with 5,582 votes, beating PML's Khan Akbar Khan who managed to bag 3,815 votes.
GBLA-21: PML-N candidate Ghulam Muhammad emerged victorious with 4,334 votes versus PPP's Muhammad Ayub Shah, who bagged 3,430 votes.
GBLA-22: An independent candidate Mustaq Hussain emerged victorious with 6,051 votes and defeated his rival from PTI Muhammad Ibrahim Sanai, who got 4,945 votes.
GBLA-23: An independent candidate Abdul Hameed emerged victorious with 3,666 votes, defeating PTI's Amina Bibi who bagged 3,296 votes.
GBLA-24: PPP’s Muhammad Ismail won the polls by securing 6,206 votes, while PTI candidate Syed Shamsuddin stood runner up with 5,361 votes.
