Polling underway in Skardu by-election amid tight security
“Polling began at 61 polling stations in the GBA-09 (Skardu-III) constituency on Saturday, with authorities deploying enhanced security arrangements for the by-election. Voting started at 8am and will c…”
Voting started at 8am and will continue until 5pm. Around 33,985 registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots. The by-election was called by the Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission following the disqualification of PPP candidate Fida Muhammad Nashad by the GB Supreme Appellate Court.
Nashad had been declared the returned candidate in the June general elections. His son, Akhtar Abbas, is contesting the seat on a PPP ticket, while Mohammad Ajmal is the PML-N candidate. Former minister Mohammad Saleem is contesting as an independent.
A total of 10 candidates have submitted nomination papers. Analysts said a close contest was expected between PPP’s Abbas and independent candidate Saleem. They said Abbas could retain his father’s vote bank and may benefit from public sympathy following Nashad’s disqualification by the GB Supreme Appellate Court.
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