Gilgit Baltistan Election 2020: What each of the 24 constituencies lack

Gilgit Baltistan will be electing representatives for the Gilgit Baltistan Assembly on Sunday, November 15.

Politicians from major political parties have campaigned furiously in the past few days. They gathered large crowds and made lofty promises as they contested for the northern territory’s  Legislative Assembly seats.

Here’s what you need to know about all the constituencies up for grabs, the demographics of each constituency and their concerns ahead of the election day.

According to a 2017 population census, Gilgit Baltistan is home to 1.4 million people.

Map of Gilgit Baltistan

The mountainous territory is divided into three regions:

1. Gilgit (top, shaded in green in the map)

2. Baltistan, and (bottom right, shaded in dark green)

3. Diamer (bottom left, shaded in light green)

Gilgit Region

This region has a total headcount of 570,000 and is divided into nine constituencies.

GBA – 1 (Gilgit I)

Voters: 35,841
Female: 15,790
Male: 20,051
Polling stations: 62

This area has been overlooked in terms of infrastructural development. Roads remain damaged, residents lack access to clean drinking water and electricity. Power outage in winters can last as long as 22 hours a day.

Top contenders:

Amjad Hussain (PPP), Sultan Raees (Independent), Mustafa Shah (Islami Tehreek Pakistan), Johar Ali (PTI)

GBA – 2 (Gilgit II)

Voters: 41,259
Female: 18,201

Male: 23,058
Polling stations: 73

PML-N-led government built new roads in the area at the end of its tenure, yet other outstanding issues remain. Lack of potable water, appropriate health facilities and unemployment top the list of concerns.

Top contenders:

Fatehullah Khan (PTI), Jameel Ahmed (PPP), Hafeez-ur-Rehman (PML-N)

GBA – 3 – Elections postponed till November 22

GBA – 4 (Nagar I)

Voters: 23,171
Female voters: 10,440
Male voters: 12,731
Polling stations: 42

Lack of adequate sewerage line is a major concern in this area, as is a lack of universities, which compels students to move to other districts for higher education.

Top contenders:

Amjad Hussain (PPP), Zulfiqar Ali (PTI), Muhammad Ayub (ITP)

GBA – 5 (Nagar II)

Voters: 14,001
Female voters: 6,241
Male voters: 7,760

Polling stations: 26

Internet and education top the list of the voters’ worries. The constituency also lacks educational institutes.

Top contenders:

Mirza Hussain (PPP), Rizwan Ali (MWM), Javed Ali (Indp)

GBA – 6 (Hunza)

Voters: 43,603

Female voters: 21,275
Male voters: 22,328
Polling stations: 90

The area has been deprived of electricity infrastructure and access to clean drinking water. The area’s roads are in a state of disrepair and residents complain of being cut off from the rest of the region.

Top contenders:

Obaidullah Beg (PTI), Zahoor Karim (PPP), Kamil Jan (Indp)

GBA – 19 (Ghizer I)

Voters: 37,808
Female voters: 17,511
Male voters: 20,297
Polling stations: 51

Healthcare is a primary issue as the constituency lacks a Tehsil Headquarters Hospital. Scarcity of educational facilities in the area has left girls the most affected. They often give up on their education after secondary school. Internet issues are also a concern.

Top contenders:

Shakeel Ahmed (Indp), Syed Jalal Shah (PPP), Nawaz Khan Naji (Indp)

GBA – 20 (Ghizer II)

Voters: 42,533
Female voters: 19,245
Male voters: 23,288

Polling stations: 52

Critical care and women’s health are significant challenges in the constituency. The largest health facility lacks a gynecologist or surgeon, patients who require such care need to be taken to hospitals in other districts.

Top contenders:

Ali Sher (PPP), Nazeer Ahmed (PTI), Safdar Ali Sherazi (Indp)

GBA – 21 (Ghizer III)

Voters: 34,975

Female voters: 15,846
Male voters: 19,129
Polling stations: 52

A severe shortage of potable water in the area has forced people to turn to rivers and canals, leading to frequent outbreaks of water-borne diseases.

Top contenders:

Raja Jahanzeb (PTI), Muhammad Ayub Shah (PPP), Ghulam Mohammad (PML-N)

BALTISTAN REGION

The Baltistan region has a population of 538,300 and consists of nine constituencies.

GBA – 7 (Skardu I)

Voters: 17,127
Female voters: 7,905
Male voters: 9,222

Polling stations: 28

Infrastructural issues proliferate the area, as a significant chunk of the constituents live in darkness due to a bare-bones electricity infrastructure. Furthermore, roads are broken and the area lacks adequate health facilities.

Top contenders:

Syed Mehdi Shah (PPP), Raja Zakeria Khan (PTI), Muhammad Iqbal (ITP)

GBA – 8 (Skardu)

Voters: 39,567

Female voters: 17,716
Male voters: 21,851
Polling stations: 54

Unemployment is the constituents’ foremost concern. Moreover, educational facilities in the area are lacking as girls have no college to go to while boys have just one.

Top contenders:

Imtiaz Haider (Indp), Mohammad Ali Shah (PPP), Mohammad Kazim (MWM)

GBA – 9 (Skardu III)

Voters: 25,562
Female voters: 11,569
Male voters: 13,993
Polling stations: 55

Residents of this constituency worry about a lack of potable water, electricity and unemployment.

Top contenders:

Wazeer Waqar (PPP), FidaNashad (PTI), Wazeer Mohammad Saleem( Indp)

GBA – 10 (Skardu IV)

Voters: 26,839
Female voters: 12,098
Male voters: 14,741

Polling stations: 46

The roads of the area are not fit for travel and electricity supply is patchy.

Top contenders:

Wazeer Hassan (PTI), Sikander Ali (ITP), Wazeer Mohammad Khan (PPP)

GBA – 11 (Kharmang)

Voters: 26,887

Female voters: 12,409
Male voters: 14,478
Polling stations: 42

Long overlooked, the constituency lacks proper facilities for water and electricity.

Top contenders:

Syed Amjad Ali (PTI), Niaz Ali Siam (PPP), Syed Mohsin Rizvi (Indp)

GBA – 12 (Shigar)

Voters: 36,183
Female voters: 16,663
Male voters: 19,520
Polling stations: 70

The area lacks health and educational facilities.

Top contenders:

Imran Nadeem (PPP), Raja Azam Khan (PTI), Tahir Shigri (PML-N)

GBA – 22 (Ghanche I)

Voters: 28,900
Female voters: 13,185
Male voters: 15,715

Polling stations: 57

The constituency is one of the areas worst affected by natural disasters which occurred in the past. There is widespread devastation caused by flooding and landslides. The area’s infrastructure has yet to see improvement.

Top contenders:

Mohammad Sanai (PTI), Mohammad Jaffar (PTI)

GBA – 23 (Ghanche II)

Voters: 28,244

Female voters: 12,533
Male voters: 15,711
Polling stations: 48

The constituency lacks basic education and health facilities. Moreover, residents do not have access to clean drinking water.

Top contenders

Ghulam Ali Haideri (PPP), Ghulam Hussain (PML-N), Amina Bibi (PTI)

GBA – 24 (Ghanche III)

Voters: 20,187
Male voters: 10,588
Female voters: 9,599
Polling stations: 43

This area lacks basic education and health facilities. It has poor infrastructure and unavailability of potable water.

Top contenders:

Syed Shamusuddin (PTI), Mohammad Ismail (PPP), Engineer Manzoor Hussain (PML-N)

DIAMER REGION

The Diamer region has a total population of 394,400.

GBA – 13 (Astore I)

Voters: 33,378

Female voters: 15,146
Male voters: 18,232
Polling stations: 49

The most pressing concern of the constituents is the lack of health facilities. Patients requiring surgery are forced to travel to other cities which are at least three hours away.

Top contenders:

Dr Ghulam Abbas (Indp), Khalid Khurshid (PTI), Abdul Hamid Khan (PPP)

GBA – 14 (Astore II)

Voters: 29,023
Female voters: 13,192
Male voters: 15,831
Polling stations: 47

While the area is relatively more developed, the main road connecting it to the Karakoram Highway is in need of repair. In its tenure, the PPP government began constructing a tunnel for the residents, but it never saw the light of day.

Top contenders:

Shamsul Haq (PTI), Muzaffar Ali (PPP) and Rana Farooq (PML-N)

GBA – 15 (Diamer I)

Voters: 35,185
Female voters: 17,448
Male voters: 17,737

Polling stations: 45

The area lacks access to clean water, while broken roads and ill-maintained bridges have left residents traversing a rickety wooden bridge to reach nearby villages.

Top contenders:

Wali-ur-Rehman (JUI-F), Noushad Ali (PTI), Bashir Ahmed (PPP), Abdul Wajid (PML-N)

GBA – 16 (Diamer II)

Voters: 34,368

Female voters: 15, 660
Male voters: 18,708
Polling stations: 41

Electricity load-shedding is a major concern for the constituents. In the cold winter months, power outages can last as long as two days.

Top contenders:

Atiqullah (PTI), Attaullah (Indp), Mohammad Anwar (PML-N), Haji Dilbar Khan (PPP)

GBA – 17 (Diamer III)

Voters: 29,955
Female voters: 13,682
Male voters: 16,273
Polling stations: 39

The roads in the constituency are in a state of disrepair, while the only hospital in the area offers very basic services.

Top contenders:

Rehman Khalid (JUI-F), Haider Khan (PTI), Ghaffar Khan (PPP), Sardar Alam (PML-N)

GBA – 18 (Diamer IV)

Voters: 19,071
Female voters: 11,363
Male voters: 77,08

Polling stations: 26

Healthcare and education are primary concerns for voters as the constituency has only one hospital and very few schools.

Top contenders

Gulbar Khan (PTI), Kifayat Ur Rehman (Indp), Sadia Danish (PPP)