Gilgit Baltistan Election 2020: Maryam says PTI won few seats despite rigging

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Monday claimed that the PTI won a few seats in Gilgit Baltistan's election via 'rigging', 'bullying', and with the help of turncoats.

Taking to Twitter, Maryam said PTI failing to achieve a clear majority in the northern region is a "shameful defeat" for the incumbent government. "This defeat is a telling sign of what the future has in store."

Maryam said the ruling party was unable to secure a majority despite using state machinery and with the help of turncoats, adding that the people of Gilgit Baltistan have no confidence in the PTI.

Her sentiments were echoed by former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbas who said the federal government had "stripped GB of its powers".

Likening the GB polls to 2018 general elections, the PML-N leader said Sunday's election was rigged.

PTI leads GB polls

The Imran Khan-led PTI is emerging as the single largest party in the hotly contested polls in Gilgit Baltistan. According to unofficial and unconfirmed results, the ruling party grabbed nine seats while the Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led PPP came second with three victories. Meanwhile, the PML-N, the JUI-F, and the MWM have won one each while independent candidates secured six.

As many as 330 candidates, including four women, were vying for 23 general seats in the third legislative assembly of the northern region.

Citizens, wearing facemasks and observing social distancing, lined up outside polling stations in the bitter cold across the region, with many voters braving heavy snowfall.

More than 15,000 security personnel from GB, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan were deployed at polling stations.