Fate of 264 candidates for 23 seats will be sealed

Shabbir Ahmed Mir
Gilgit, Nov 11: The Gilgit-Baltistan, known as Northern areas of Pakistan, will write a new history on Thursday as people of the region will vote for the first time in over 60 years to elect their representatives in Legislative Assembly. The voters will seal the fate of 264 candidates, who are contesting for 23 seats of the Assembly.
According to Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan, 264 candidates are in the fray for 23 seats of Legislative Assembly. “99 candidates belong to different political parties while the rest 165 are independent candidates,” it said.

At least 1033 polling stations have been set up across the Gilgit-Baltistan. “311 polling stations have been established in Gilgit; 128 in Ghizer; 274 in Skardu; 144 in Ganche; 95 in Diamer and 81 in Astor districts. 4,15,000 male and 3,30,000 female voters are eligible to cast their votes,” said an official of Election Commission.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has fielded the highest number of 23 candidates followed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) with 20 candidates. Pakistan Muslim League-N has fielded 15, PML-Q 14, Gilgit-Baltistan Democratic Alliance 10, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F 6, Balawaristan National Front 4, Awami National Party 3 and Jamaat Islami 2 candidates.
An election cell and a control room have been established, which would remain open round the clock to address complaints or give information about the election.
Foolproof security measures have been put in place. At least 5,000 security staff has been deployed at all the polling stations especially at the sensitive and highly sensitive stations to ensure smooth conduct of the election and transparency.
There are reports that two battalions of Pakistan Army have been called and moved to different areas of the region. “Army jawans would not be deployed but available on call in case of any emergency,” official sources said.
On the last day of electioneering on Tuesday, Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani addressed election rallies in Skardu. He announced several developmental packages for the region and sought votes for PPP candidates.
The governor Qamar Zaman Kaira, who also spoke on the occasion, linked the developmental packages with the success of PPP candidates. “If you want to see the implementation of packages, ensure victory of PPP candidates,” he told people.
PML-N, PML-Q and MQM besides some independent candidates have accused the PPP of pre-poll rigging. “The announcement of developmental packages is a tool to entice people for votes in favour of the party,” they said.
Syed Mushahid Hussain, secretary general PML-Q dubbed PPP a corrupt party, which he claimed, was bent upon using unfair means to win the elections. “PPP is party of corrupt people, who have plundered wealth of the nation,” he said while addressing a public meeting in Lalik Jan stadium on Monday.
Former senate chairman Wasim Sajjad,  in-charge Gilgit- Baltistan Marvi Memon, Mohammad Aslam Khan , Abdul Wahid and other PML-Q members were also present on the occasion.
“We gave Gilgit-Baltistan economic prosperity while PPP is encouraging corruption,” he said adding, “If voted to power, PML-Q would bring about drastic reforms in education, health and trade.”
Marvi Memon, a member national assembly and in-charge election cell PML-Q alleged that deliberate mistakes have been made in the electoral rolls to resort to unfair means.
Former Prime Minster and PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif, who visited the region last week, said he would talk to Pakistan prime minister to ensure that free and fair polls are held in the region.
Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira has said the interest shown by the top leadership of major parties in the elections indicates that they have endorsed the Self-rule package extended to the region by the PPP government.  
Rejecting allegations of pre-poll rigging, he said, “Those, who levelled such allegations have the experience of doing it during their rule in the past. We know what has happened in the past”.
He reiterated that free and fair polls will be held. “The government does not want to make the elections disputed. The popularity of PPP has baffled the contesting candidates, who are now resorting to wild allegations”.
“The Gilgit-Baltistan voters have traditionally tend to swing towards the incumbent government in Islamabad. PPP candidates are likely to gain by the presence of the federal ministers in Gilgit. There is a general perception that PPP will win the elections as it has the advantage of being the ruling party,” a political observer said.
He said that keeping in view the political realism of the political class and people, “it can be said that people will not opt for a government in Gilgit-Baltistan, which is opposed to ruling party in the country because it will harm their interests.”
However, experts predict a hung assembly with no party likely to get a clear majority.
Election on nine reserved seats, six for women and three for technocrats, will be held later.
In September, Pakistan approved the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order, 2009 empowering the local assembly to elect its chief minister. The region was earlier under the direct control of Islamabad.
Former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto was the architect of the 1994 Legal Framework Order (LFO) introducing a degree of electoral reforms in the region, which was redefined by Nawaz Sharif and then Shaukat Aziz governments before the current PPP-government promulgated “Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order”.
Foolproof security
Pakistan’s  Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Wednesday that foolproof security arrangements have been finalized for Legislative Assembly elections of Gilgit Baltistan. “These elections will be free, fair and transparent and nobody will be allowed to create law and order situation,” he told Pakistan’s official wire agency APP.
Rehman Malik said he had held three meetings with Governor of Gilgit Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kiara for evolving comprehensive security plan for the elections.  “ Miscreants will be treated with iron hands if they take law into their hands”, he vowed.
He said local scouts, police, extra contingent of Frontier Constabulary and police from Pakistan administered Kashmir had also been deployed at all polling stations to ensure safety of voters and transparency in elections.