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By Tom Hussain in the National, UAE GILGIT:  A regional poll on Thursday in Pakistan’s northern territory of Gilgit-Baltistan is being fiercely contested by all the major political parties, despite residents’ ineligibility to vote in national elections. The result is far less predictable than in previous elections, when only two of the country’s major parties, the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League, had contested, alongside local independent candidates. But with the restoration of full…

The Dawn, Nov 13 GILGIT / SKARDU, Nov 12: The first elections for the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly were held largely peacefully across the region on Thursday, with no major incident of violence reported during the polling. According to unofficial results announced around midnight, the PPP appeared poised to win a majority in the assembly. Despite chilly weather, people in large numbers came out to cast their vote to elect their representatives to the assembly that…

The Daily Times, Nov 13 ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the PML-Quaid on Thursday alleged the PPP-led government of rigging the Gilgit-Baltistan elections. Speaking on points of order in the National Assembly, MQM MNA Haider Abbas Rizvi, PML-N legislator Ahsan Iqbal and PML-Q leader Amir Muqam alleged the government of pre-polled rigging by announcing development packages before the polls. They said there were reports of polling of bogus…

By Tariq Naqash  in The Dawn, Nov 13 MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 12: Activists of the All Parties National Alliance (Apna), a conglomerate of over a dozen nationalist organisations and groups of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, staged a demonstration here on Thursday, condemning alleged attempts by Islamabad to perpetuate its rule in Gilgit-Baltistan by holding “mock elections” in the region. The peaceful demonstration, which began from Upper Adda and concluded at Press Club, coincided with…

By Maqsood Tirmizi in The Nation, Dec 12 ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Muslim League (N) Wednesday staged a token walkout in the National Assembly over dilly-dally attitude of the government in tabling the draft Accountability Bill in the House. Earlier, the opposition parties jointly staged another walkout over the issue of government’s indifference attitude towards the MPs’ queries about the paddy procurement. Talking on a point of order, Opposition Leader Ch. Nisar Ali Khan said the…

By Farman Ali in The Dawn, Nov 12 ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: The people of Gilgit-Baltistan will go to the polls on Thursday to elect a new legislative assembly that will enjoy more powers under political reforms introduced by the government recently to accord the region more autonomy. More than 250 candidates are in the running for 23 seats. The winners will elect members for nine reserved seats — six for women and three for technocrats.…

The Business Recorder, Nov 12 At long last democracy is knocking at the door of Gilgit-Baltistan. The people of this region announced their accession to Pakistan just 11 weeks after the creation of Pakistan, on October 30, 1947 by physically throwing out the Dogra governor Gansara Singh, but democracy took 62 years to reach here. The problem, that still remains, is that under the Karachi Agreement, their political future is linked with Azad Jammu and…

SKARDU, Nov 10: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday promised free, fair and transparent elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and a level playing field for all political parties. Addressing a public meeting at the Police Ground, the prime minister said the region had a vast hydroelectric potential and development of the sector would help reduce poverty and unemployment. Mr Gilani said that work on Diamer-Bhasha and Bunji dams would start soon, adding that over Rs5 billion…

By Farman Ali in The Dawn, Nov 11 Elections in Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday would be an historic occasion but a lost opportunity for the people of Ghanche District as none of the candidates contesting there campaigned on the issues fundamental to the people. Ghanche covers an area of 4,116 square kilometers and is the most strategically placed district of the disputed region — and also the most backward. It borders the Ladakh region of the…

LAHORE, Nov 9: Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s observers have arrived in Gilgit to monitor the general election in Gilgit-Baltistan to be held on Nov 12. The HRCP team, led by co-chairperson Mr. Iqbal Haider, consists of rights activists and members of governing body, including Mr. Husain Naqi, Mr. Kamran Arif, Ms Uzma Noorani, Ms Parveen Soomro, and Mr. Najam-u-Din. The HRCP has already organised a consultation with stakeholders and trained local observers for monitoring…