Re-polling held at 3 stations in GB's Diamer as PPP, IPP candidates vie for seat

Gilgit-Baltistan witnessed a re-polling at three stations in Diamer-II constituency on Sunday as PPP’s Attaullah Shah and IPP’s Imam Malik continued their battle for the seat. Voting commenced at 8am and concluded at 5pm, with 2,780 registered voters eligible to cast their ballots. Dr Maria, a polling officer, informed Dawn that minor incidents involving violence had taken place, yet the overall atmosphere remained calm.

The episode escalated when Shah’s supporters held protests in Chilas and Gilgit against allegations of ballot box tampering at a women's polling station in Thore Valley. Demonstrators blocked roads near Chilas and outside the GB Assembly in Gilgit, burning tires to express their discontent. One protester, Rehman Deralo, alleged that Malik and his associates had removed ballot boxes and polling materials from a polling station.

Initially, Malik was declared the returned candidate in June elections; however, he was later suspended due to a petition filed by Shah. The Election Commission directed Malik to complete the verification and counting of postal ballots by September 16. Following the tribunal's order, Malik’s membership was suspended, and the counting of postal ballots was held, resulting in Shah's victory on September 14. Shah secured 6,618 votes against Malik's 6,605.

Despite this, Malik challenged the tribunal's decision at the GB Supreme Appellate Court, which dismissed his appeal on September 19, upholding the suspension of his membership. Malik then petitioned the election tribunal to order re-polling at three polling stations, with the tribunal accepting his plea and setting a deadline of November 6 for the re-polling.