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G-B Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Shah Baz Khan. Photo: Courtesy — Radio Pakistan
GILGIT:
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Shehbaz Khan on Thursday announced a delay of general elections and local bodies polls due to harsh weather conditions in the region, after a multiparty conference held to consult political parties on the holding of the elections.
General Elections of the Assembly and local government (LG) elections were scheduled for January 24 and February 14, 2026, respectively. The LG polls are going to be conducted in the region after a gap of 20 years.
“The new polling dates for both elections will be announced later,” Khan said.
Meanwhile, the GB Election Commission convened a multiparty conference (MPC), including leaders of PML-N, PPP, PTI and JUI, today at its secretariat to consult political parties on the holding of elections in January and February.
While 14 political parties opposed the holding of elections in January and February due to harsh weather conditions in the region that cut off many areas from the rest of the region, six party leaders favoured the polling day, he said.
The leaders, who opposed the election dates, argued that people in the region couldn’t use their right to vote due to the weather conditions, they argued.
The commission was considering holding the general and local body elections simultaneously in May next year.
