The Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly is a 33-seat unicameral legislative body that was formed as part of the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, 2009 which granted the region self-rule and an elected legislative assembly. Prior to this, the region had been directly ruled from Islamabad. The next Gilgit Baltistan Elections will be in 2020.
Security
With deployment of military personnel for security duties, authorities finalised arrangements to hold elections of Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly on Monday. Public holiday has been announced in the region for June 8 elections going to be held in 24 constituencies of the region. According to sources, army personnel have been deployed in different areas and ballot papers have been distributed among Returning Officers. Deployment of troops was requested by the Election Commission of Pakistan and the civil administration. Army officers have been given special magisterial powers to be able to control the law and order situation and act against those violating election laws.
Election 2015
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is leading in the early vote count after polling for elections on 24 seats of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly concluded amid strict security. On the other hand, the PPP is losing on a number of major seats. Even Chief Minister Mehdi Shah lost his seat. Having won 14 seats, the has emerged as the largest party in the GB polls. The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and Tehreek-e-Islami won two seats each while independent candidates won two seats. The PPP and PTI won one seat each. After winning the by elections held on July 10, 2017 in GBLA-4, Nagar, the PPP has now two seats. GBLA-4 was won by Javaid Hussain of PPP. According to National Database and Registration Authority and the Election Commission of Pakistan, there are 618,364 registered voters in the region with 329,475 men and 288,889 women. An estimated 600,000 people exercised their right to vote at the polling stations to elect 24 legislators. Three members of the legislative assembly will be elected from District Gilgit, three from District Hunza Nagar, six from Skardu, two from Astor, four from Diamer, three from Ghizer and three from Ganche. The PML-N and the PTI had given party tickets to candidates in all constituencies, while candidates from the PPP were contesting on 22 seats. The MWM had 15 contesting candidates, All Pakistan Muslim League 13, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl 10, Pakistan Awami Tehreek seven, Jamaat-e-Islami six, and Tehreek-e-Islami 12 candidates. The Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly was created through a presidential order in 2009 and the Pakistan People's Party won the subsequent elections, completing a five-year term in office. On December 13, 2014, an interim government was set up with a 12-member caretaker cabinet to conduct free and fair elections. Chief Election Commissioner GB Justice Syed Tahir Ali Shah thanked all the political parties for their cooperation in conducting peaceful, smooth and transparent elections. In an interview to a news channel, he said no rigging was reported in any constituency of the region which was a big achievement. He said he was satisfied with the law and order situation in the region throughout the day as no unpleasant incident was reported adding holding transparent elections was his responsibility.
Composition
As per the results of the 2009 elections, the assembly is split between members of the left leaning and secular Pakistan Peoples Party, the centre-right Pakistan Muslim League, the secular and liberal Muttahida Qaumi Movement, and the Islamist Jamiat Ulema e Islam. In a special by-election in 2011, a candidate from the Balawaristan National Front won a seat from Ghizer with slightly less than 50% of votes cast in his favor. In Sept 2013, FM Nashad from SKD 3 LA 8 won the elections with the majority after Wazir Shakeel resigned from the membership. FM Nashad earlier served as Deputy chief executive for 5 years. He belongs to PML.
Members (2015 Legislative Assembly)
, Deputy Speaker 2. Hafiz Hafeez Ur Rehman, Chief Minister 3. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Minister 4. Javaid Hussain 5. Rizwan Ali 6. vacant 7. Akbar Khan Taban Minister Water & Power 8. Kacho Imtiaz Haider Khan 9. Fida Muhammad Nashad, Speaker 10. Sikandar Ali 11. Iqbal Hassan 12. Imran Nadeem 13. Farman Ali, Minister 14. Barkat Jameel Siffat 15. Haji Shah Baig 16. Janbaz Khan, Minister 17. Haider Khan 18. Imran Wakeel 19. Nawaz Khan Naji 20. Fida Khan 21. Raja Jahanzaib Khan 22. Muhammad Ibrahim Sanai, Minister Education Department 23. Ghulam Hussain Advocate 24. Muhammad Shafiq
