Protests block Karakoram Highway for third day over re-polling, delayed GB poll results

Lead

For the third consecutive day, protests have blocked the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region, as supporters of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) demand the announcement of official election results and contest the Election Commission's decision to order re-polling in several constituencies. The blockade, which began on Saturday, has stranded thousands of passengers and disrupted traffic between Gilgit-Baltistan and the rest of Pakistan, according to multiple reports from Dawn.

The protests were sparked by the Election Commission's notification of independent candidate Imam Malik as the winner in the GBA-16 Diamer-II constituency, a decision PPP supporters allege was made without completing legal procedures. The Commission has since ordered re-polling in five constituencies, but the PPP claims the move is an attempt to "snatch the public mandate."

Coverage Comparison

All reports on this story come from Dawn, Pakistan's leading English-language daily. Three separate Dawn articles provide overlapping but distinct details, resulting in a comprehensive picture of the events. The first article focuses on the initial protest and the PPP's allegations of procedural violations. The second covers the continuation of the protests and the Election Commission's orders regarding re-polling and investigations. The third provides the official perspective, detailing the Election Commission's directives and the technical reasons behind the re-polling orders.

While the reports are consistent on the core facts—the blockade, the re-polling order, and the PPP's objections—they differ in emphasis. The first article is more critical of the Election Commission, highlighting PPP leaders' accusations of "illegal" and "unjust" processes. The third article adopts a more neutral, procedural tone, focusing on the Commission's official statements. No independent sources or conflicting narratives are present in the provided material.

Key Claims

The central dispute revolves around the Election Commission's handling of the GBA-16 Diamer-II constituency. According to a Dawn report, the Commission notified independent candidate Imam Malik as the returned candidate without preparing Form 49 or counting postal votes. The PPP's Secretary General, Nayyar Bukhari, claimed the party had a clear majority of 17–19 seats in the Legislative Assembly, including reserved and technocratic seats. He alleged that "an attempt is being made to block the path of the PPP," and that the electoral process was not being conducted in accordance with the Constitution and law.

Protesters, including PPP candidate Attaullah Khan, alleged that the chief election commissioner declared Malik the returned candidate without completing the legal process. Attaullah called the process "illegal" and an "injustice," and later said the re-polling order was "unacceptable" and an "attempt to snatch the public mandate." According to Form 47, Malik led by 24 votes, but had 180 postal votes, while Attaullah's figure was not stated fully in the available text.

The Election Commission, for its part, ordered re-polling in five constituencies—Skardu-II (GBA-8), Astore-I (GBA-13), Diamer-I (GBA-15), Diamer-II (GBA-16), and Diamer-III (GBA-17)—citing the need for transparency. The Commission directed that results must not be consolidated until the re-polling is complete. GB Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan announced that re-polling would be held at 26 polling stations on June 15: 10 in Skardu-II, one in Astore-I, one in Diamer-I, three in Diamer-II, and 11 in Diamer-III.

The Commission also withdrew its earlier notification ordering a re-poll at 10 polling stations in GBA-08 Skardu-II, though the reason for this withdrawal is not detailed in the provided material. Additionally, the Commission ordered recounts in two other constituencies—Ghizer-II (GBA-20) and Gilgit-III (GBA-3)—following requests from candidates alleging irregularities.

Perspectives

PPP and Protesters

The PPP and its supporters view the Election Commission's actions as a deliberate move to undermine their electoral victory. They argue that the Commission has bypassed legal procedures, including the counting of postal ballots, and that the re-polling order is unjustified. PPP leaders have called for immediate release of results based on Form 47 and the counting of postal ballots, insisting that the party has won a clear majority.

Election Commission

The Election Commission maintains that re-polling is necessary to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. By ordering re-polling in five constituencies and recounts in two others, the Commission is acting to address alleged irregularities and ensure that the final results are transparent and credible. The Commission has directed officials not to consolidate results until re-polling is complete, emphasizing procedural compliance.

Residents and Travelers

While not directly part of the political dispute, residents and travelers have been adversely affected by the highway blockade. Thousands are stranded, and alternative routes such as Babusar Road have been used, but the disruption highlights the broader impact of the political standoff on daily life in the region.

This article is based on reports from Dawn. The reports agree on the basic sequence of events but differ in their framing, with one emphasizing procedural lapses and another focusing on the Election Commission's stated rationale.