Tooba Altaf
The election for the Legislative Assembly of semi-autonomous state of Gilgit Baltistan (GBA), has garnered much attention across the country and abroad. The polling for GBA, which took place on November 15, 2020, have been hotly contested among all the main stream political parties of Pakistan. Apart from domestic politics, there is yet another reason for GB elections making rounds, as the neighboring India also lays its claims to the territory, as part of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir’s territory, and has been against the GB’s elections.
The strategically significant territory of Gilgit Baltistan, home to two million people, borders China and Afghanistan. It is the same region, through which the road transportation network from China as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) enters into Pakistan, making it a vital part of CPEC. This time, it has been contested with the fervor and zeal, not hitherto been observed. The underlying reason for such a zeal has been evident as it offered an opportunity to the political parties such as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to become relevant once again and revive their decaying politics through the regional elections. The said political parties as currently allied in a coalition known as Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), have tried hard to win the elections.
The political parties contested the election, using various slogans and making promises to the native population. For its part, PMLN tried to regain its lost glory in the face of massive corruption charges its leadership faces, and being the last ruling party in the region. It tried to strengthen its narrative of ‘respecting people’s mandate’ by allegedly hinting at the military’s interventions in 2018 nation-wide general elections and demanding it to keep at bay, in the regional polls, this time. PPP, on its part, tried to project itself out of its confinements within the Sindh province, upgrading it to the status of a National party with a broad-based appeal. It’s leadership also promised the provincial status for the region.
As far as the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is concerned, it was quite confident about its victory in the GBA, as traditionally the ruling party at the Centre had always been successful in GB. Prime Minister Imran Khan from the ruling PTI, has already avowed to grant provisional status of a province to GB, which has been long overdue.
As the day for polling came, the people of Gilgit Baltistan brave the chilly weather to decide their fate. Women, elderly came out of their home, despite of snowfall, to cast their votes, alongside the adults.
As the outcome of the GBA election came forth, it has the following revelations: –
- As the results of the electoral contest came, PTI succeeded to secure 10 out of 23 legislative seats and has been declared as the successful party.
- PPP could secure only three while PMLN could secure only two seats in the assembly.
- Only two members from previous Assembly were re-Elected this time and the rest of previous members including Chief Minister lost this election which reflects that people wanted new faces this time.
- All electables who changed party affiliations to get PTI ticket including speaker of assembly and key ministers from previous elections also lost the elections. This means that masses reject disloyal politicians.
- Seven independent candidates won the elections despite massive campaigns by central leadership of PPP, PTI and PMLN. This is a lesson for the politicians that it is the conduct and connection to your constituency which matters the most, than connection with central leadership and political parties.
To conclude, active participation of mainstream political leadership and unprecedented media coverage is really welcoming. It would enable the people of GB to highlight their issues and challenges. Moreover, the elections in GB were generally peaceful and it would set a great precedence for the rest of country to follow in the footsteps of such good political practices.
The author Tooba Altaf is an International Relations graduate while working as a Researcher at the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Islamabad.
