The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as the single largest party in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Assembly elections, with unofficial and preliminary results showing the party winning 10 of 24 constituencies with sources telling media outlets that a PPP-PML-N coalition is now likely, with the chief minister’s office expected to go to the PPP.
The coalition could follow a model similar to the PDM set-up, with the governor’s position likely allocated to the PML-N. Ministries in the proposed coalition may be distributed under a 60-40 formula between the two parties.
According to unofficial results, the PPP won GBA-1, GBA-4, GBA-5, GBA-7, GBA-9, GBA-10, GBA-11, GBA-12, GBA-17 and GBA-19. The PML-N secured four seats, GBA-2, GBA-18, GBA-20 and GBA-22 while independent candidates won seven seats. The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen won one seat in GBA-8.
With no party securing a simple majority, the results point toward a coalition arrangement between the two parties.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the people of Gilgit-Baltistan on the conduct of elections and felicitated the PPP on emerging as the largest party.
“PPP deserved congratulations for securing the highest number of seats,” he said, also extending felicitations to President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He also praised PML-N candidates for putting up a strong competition and lauded the Election Commission of Pakistan for what he described as a transparent and impartial electoral process.
