Bilawal Bhutto claims Gilgit-Baltistan polls 'rigged' as PTI leads in 9 of 24 seats

Amid the counting of the Gilgit-Baltistan polls, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday, alleged that the election was stolen. Taking to the streets, Bhutto claimed that PPP had won 12 seats, but the Election Commission had rigged the elections. 23 seats went to polls in Gilgit-Baltistan with as many as 330 candidates, including four women in the poll fray.

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Bhutto: 'My election has been stolen'

"Your election has been stolen. Your vote has been rigged. I have travelled across Baltistan and I know Pakistan's people are not fooled by this. Gilgit-Baltistan people will not allow you to steal their votes. PPP had won 12 seats, but they attempted to reduce the votes," he said.

He added, "Big people pressured candidates to leave their parties and join PTI. They (PTI) assured them the candidates will be allowed to ruled freely here. Every PPP candidate will remain faithful to us. Frightened by your support to PPP, every federal minister and the Prime Minister himself came here and started filing cases against every statement by each candidate. This Election Commission, whom we respected, has joined with the government and targetted the Opposition - letting PTI candidates win by 2 votes."

India rejects Pakistan's accord of 'provisional provincial status' to Gilgit-Baltistan

Similarly, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz said that the 'fake ruler' will soon be dethroned, alleging that the elections' results were fixed way before it was held. As per Gallup Pakistan, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is ahead in 8 out of the 23 seats up for grabs, while PPP is leading in 3 seats. Meanwhile, PML-N, JUI-F, and MWM have won one each while Independent candidates secured six. Gallup has observed that the party in power at the Centre usually retains over half of the seats in Gilgit-Baltistan. According to 2009 polls, PPP won 14 out of 24 seats, while PML-N won 16 out of 24 seats in 2015. 

Pakistan holds illegitimate Gilgit-Baltistan elections amid heavy protests & rigging claim

Gilgit-Baltistan polls

The voting process in began at 8 am and continued till 5 pm without any interval on Sunday. The elections were held amidst relentless protest by the people of Gilgit Baltistan against the Pakistan government's "illegal occupation" in the region. India has slammed Pakistan for its decision to hold elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and said any action to alter the status of the militarily-occupied region has no legal basis. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the granting of provisional-provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan, as per Pakistan's Geo News, ahead of the November 15 polls.

Ruling PTI takes initial lead in Gilgit-Baltistan assembly election