PP candidate Akhtar Abbas Nashad won the by election GBA-09 (Skardu-III) by a margin of 305 votes after a closely contested race, according to official results issued on Sunday.
The constituency recorded an overall voter turnout of 51.79 per cent in the election held a day ago with Nashad receiving 8,399 votes while his opponent, independent candidate Wazir Saleem, received 8,094 votes, according to the election result form 47.
The by election was held after the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Supreme Appellate Court PPP candidate Fida Muhammad Nashad — Abbas’s father — who had been declared a returned candidate in the June general elections.
In the by election, Fida’s son entered the electoral fray and reclaimed the seat that had been lost by his father.
The contest was a fierce battle marked by constant campaigning by the two candidates that persisted right up to the final stage.
More than 800 police personnel, in addition to the GB Scouts, were deployed under special security arrangements for polling day. The electoral process remained largely smooth and peaceful, while a local holiday was also declared to facilitate voters.
Analysts previously said they a close contest between Abbas and Saleem. and that it was possible Abbas would retain his father's vote bank.
After this election the PPP holds 15 seats in the 33 seat GB Assembly, the PML N has nine, the Istehkam i Pakistan Party has six, while the Majlis Wahdat i Muslimeen and an independent occupy one seat each.
