PPP candidate Akhtar Abbas Nashad won the GBA-09 by-election in Skardu by 305 votes. According to official results, Nashad secured 8,399 votes against independent candidate Wazir Saleem’s 8,094 votes.
The constituency recorded a voter turnout of 51.79 per cent during Saturday’s polling. The Form 47 issued Sunday confirmed Nashad’s victory after a closely contested electoral battle.
Nashad Reclaims Father’s Assembly Seat
The by-election followed the disqualification of PPP candidate Fida Muhammad Nashad. The Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court had disqualified Fida after he won the June general elections.
Fida’s son Akhtar Abbas then entered the electoral contest to retain the family’s assembly seat. He eventually defeated Saleem and reclaimed the constituency for the Pakistan Peoples Party.
The contest remained intense between the two candidates until the final stage. Analysts had expected a close race between Abbas and independent candidate Saleem.
They believed Abbas could retain his father’s support base during the by-election. Moreover, they suggested public sympathy could strengthen his position after Fida’s disqualification.
Tight Security Maintained During Polling
Authorities deployed more than 800 police personnel alongside GB Scouts for election security. Despite heightened security arrangements, polling remained largely smooth and peaceful across the constituency.
Authorities also declared a local holiday to encourage voters to participate. Meanwhile, GBA-09 had 61 polling stations, according to District Returning Officer Hamza Murad.
Officials classified 25 polling stations as Category A highly sensitive locations. Another 11 stations fell under Category B, while 25 were classified as normal.
Following the result, PPP’s strength in the 33-member assembly increased to 15 seats. PML-N holds nine seats, while Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party has six seats.
Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen and a PTI-backed independent currently hold one seat each. Nashad’s victory therefore strengthens the PPP’s position in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly.
