403 Candidates to Contest Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Elections Across 24 Constituencies
GILGIT, Jun 2, 2026 (APP): A total of 403 candidates will contest the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly General Elections 2026 across 24 constituencies, according to the final list of candidates released by the Election Commission on Tuesday.
The list shows a strong presence of independent candidates, with 272 individuals entering the race, while 131 candidates are contesting on tickets of various political parties. Women’s representation remains notably low.
Among political parties, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) has fielded the highest number of candidates with 23, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 22 candidates.
Other parties in the contest include Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) with 15 candidates, Pakistan Muslim League with 11, Islami Tehreek Pakistan and Pakistan Nazriyati Party with 10 candidates each, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) with 9 candidates. Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) has nominated 7 candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have fielded 6 candidates each. Awami Workers Party is represented by 4 candidates.
According to constituency-wise details, GBA-2 Gilgit-II is expected to witness the toughest contest, with 40 candidates competing for a single seat. GBA-14 Astore-II follows with 33 candidates in the race. Meanwhile, GBA-24 Ghanche-III has the fewest contestants, with only six candidates vying for the seat.