Skardu by-election underway at 61 polling stations under tight security

Polling is underway at 61 stations in the GBA-09, or Skardu-III, constituency, with tight security surrounding the by-election. Voting began at 8 a.m. and is due to continue until 5 p.m.

State broadcaster PTV said 33,985 voters are eligible to cast ballots. Special security arrangements have been made for the poll.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission called the by-election after the GB Supreme Appellate Court disqualified PPP candidate Fida Muhammad Nashad, who had been declared the returned candidate in the June general elections.

Nashad’s son, Akhtar Abbas, is now contesting on the PPP ticket. Mohammad Ajmal is running for the PML-N, while former minister Mohammad Saleem is among the independent candidates. Ten candidates have filed nomination papers in total.

Analysts expect a close contest between Abbas and Saleem. They said Abbas could retain his father’s vote bank and may benefit from public support, although the supplied report ends before completing that assessment.