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Final Countdown: Barrister Gohar and Bilawal Bhutto Land in Skardu for High-Stakes Gilgit-Baltistan Polls
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari have arrived in Skardu for the final week of the Gilgit-Baltistan election campaign. While the ruling coalition holds massive rallies across the region, PTI continues to allege state-sponsored restrictions and an uneven playing field ahead of the June 7 vote.
ND
by News Desk
2026-06-01
Final Countdown: Barrister Gohar and Bilawal Bhutto Land in Skardu for High-Stakes Gilgit-Baltistan Polls

Detailed Report

  • The Final Campaign Push: The electoral race for the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Legislative Assembly has reached a fever pitch as top national political leaders arrived in Skardu on Monday. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari landed in the region to spearhead the final stretch of their respective party campaigns. With the vote scheduled for June 7, the region has become the primary theater for a high-stakes power struggle that both major parties are framing as a "decisive moment" for regional democracy.

  • Allegations of Unequal Treatment: Upon his arrival, Barrister Gohar launched a sharp critique of the current electoral environment. He alleged that the PTI is being systematically sidelined through the revocation of its election symbol, the harassment of its leadership, and the imposition of selective movement restrictions. Contrasting these hurdles with the visible, large-scale campaigning of the ruling coalition, Gohar stated: "It is as if we are being portrayed as unpatriotic... but we leave that judgment to the public."

The Ruling Coalition's Presence: While PTI navigates administrative hurdles, leaders from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have maintained a heavy presence across the region. Senior figures including Khawaja Saad Rafique, Khurram Dastgir Khan, and Abid Sher Ali have already begun addressing multiple public rallies. They are supported by federal ministers Attaullah Tarar and Amir Muqam, who have been actively campaigning across various G-B districts to consolidate the coalition's influence.

  • The Security and Procedural Backdrop: The election, originally slated for January 24 but delayed by nearly four months due to extreme winter weather, is being conducted under a massive security umbrella. On Sunday, authorities confirmed the deployment of over 5,000 Punjab Police personnel to assist local law enforcement in maintaining order. The heightened security and the recent claims of "pre-poll rigging"—highlighted by the incident where PTI's Asad Qaiser was allegedly blocked from reaching his flight to Skardu—have sparked a tense institutional exchange, including a formal appeal for judicial intervention by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister.

Quick Reference: The G-B Election Timeline

Milestone Date Status
Original Election Date January 24, 2026 Postponed due to weather
New Polling Date June 7, 2026 Confirmed
Final Campaign Phase June 1 - June 5, 2026 Active
Security Deployment 5,000+ Personnel Deployed

Tagged:

#GBElections2026 #GilgitBaltistan #PTIPakistan #BilawalBhutto #SkarduPolitics #Election2026 #BreakingNewsPakistan
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