{
  "id": 5729796,
  "title": "Skardu by-election: Polling underway at 61 polling stations amid tight security",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/skardu-by-election-polling-underway-at-61-polling-stations-amid-tight",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T06:25:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2027668/skardu-by-election-polling-underway-at-61-polling-stations-amid-tight-security"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Polling is now taking place at 61 voting stations in the GBA-09 (Skardu-III) constituency, located in Gilgit, as part of the Skardu by-election. The voting commenced at 8 am and will continue until 5 pm. A total of 33,985 registered voters are expected to participate in the process. Special security arrangements have been put in place to ensure a safe election environment. The by-election was called following the disqualification of the PPP candidate, Fida Muhammad Nashad, by the GB Supreme Appellate Court. Nashad's son, Akhtar Abbas, is running for the PPP, while Mohammad Ajmal is the PML-N candidate. Additionally, Mohammad Saleem is contesting as an independent candidate, along with nine other nominees. Political analysts predict a close race between Abbas and Saleem, with Abbas potentially benefiting from public support due to Nashad's disqualification. District Returning Officer Hamza Murad disclosed that GBA-09 comprises 61 polling stations, with 25 designated as sensitive (Category A), 11 as medium-sensitive (Category B), and the remaining 25 under the normal (Category C) category.",
  "summary": "GILGIT: Polling is currently underway at 61 polling stations in the GBA-09 (Skardu-III) constituency amid tight security. The process began at 8am and will continue till 5pm. State broadcaster PTV said 33,985 voters would exercise their right to franchise, adding that special security arrangement had been made for the occasion. The by-election was announced by the Gilgit-Baltistan Election…",
  "key_points": [
    "61 polling stations open in Skardu-III constituency",
    "Voting from 8 am to 5 pm for 33,985 registered voters",
    "PPP's Akhtar Abbas and independent Mohammad Saleem lead race"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The tight security and predicted close race between Akhtar Abbas and Mohammad Saleem suggest that the by-election outcome may hinge on voter turnout and preference in a constituency with a history of contentious politics.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Skardu by-election: Polling underway at 61 polling stations amid tight security",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/skardu-by-election-polling-underway-at-61-polling-stations-amid-tight-5731225",
        "published": "2026-09-05T06:25:54.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}