GEON Cites PTI Curbs, Low Women Participation in GB Elections
Shazia Mehboob
Islamabad: An independent election observation report has raised concerns over alleged restrictions on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) campaigning, the use of government resources during the election campaign, and the limited participation of women candidates in the 2026 Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly elections.
The report, released by the Global Election Observer Network (GEON), is based on observations conducted between April 11 and June 7, during which around 500 observers monitored the electoral process across all 24 constituencies of Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to GEON, while polling day remained largely peaceful in many areas, the overall pre-election environment raised concerns about the fairness of political competition.
The organization said several residents interviewed by its observers alleged that PTI was prevented from campaigning freely, with party workers reportedly facing restrictions.
The report cited PTI candidate Atique Perzada as claiming that legal cases against senior PTI leaders, including Baba Jan, were being used to obstruct the party’s election campaign. GEON also documented allegations that some PTI campaign workers were removed from Gilgit-Baltistan for allegedly lacking required No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
It stressed that such claims should be independently investigated and that all registered political parties must be provided equal opportunities to campaign.
GEON also questioned the distribution of laptops by Federal Minister Amir Muqam under the Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Program during the election campaign.
Opposition parties alleged the initiative amounted to the use of state resources to influence voters. The report urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to investigate the matter to safeguard public confidence in the electoral process.
The report noted a significant increase in voter registration, with the electorate growing from 745,661 in 2020 to 963,034 in 2026, an increase of more than 29 percent. Female voter registration rose by approximately 34 percent, exceeding the growth in male registrations. Despite the improvement, women still account for only 47.4 percent of registered voters.
Women’s political representation remained one of the report’s major concerns. Of the 403 candidates contesting general seats, only eight were women, representing just 1.8 percent of all candidates. GEON noted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not nominate a single woman candidate for any of the 24 general seats and urged political parties to increase women’s participation beyond reserved seats.
On polling day, nearly 65 percent of polling stations were classified as sensitive or highly sensitive, reflecting the region’s security challenges. Although voting was conducted peacefully in several constituencies, GEON documented clashes between political workers, incidents of violence at polling stations, and the deaths of two children allegedly caused by aerial firing during a political gathering in GBA-17.
The organization called for transparent investigations into the incident and all reported cases of election-related violence.
The report also highlighted delays in vote counting and the preparation of Form-45 at several polling stations, recommending improved training for polling staff and stronger logistical support for future elections.
Based on preliminary results available at the time of publication, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as the largest party with nine general seats, followed by independent candidates with six seats, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured several constituencies.
GEON observed that no party won an outright majority, making coalition negotiations likely.
In its recommendations, GEON called on the Election Commission to investigate allegations of restrictions on political campaigning, examine reported misuse of government resources, improve polling staff training, and adopt measures to enhance women’s political representation.
It also urged political parties to reject electoral violence and ensure equal opportunities for all candidates to participate in the democratic process.
