Web Desk: Political activity intensified in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan region on Monday as the leaders of the country’s three major political parties stepped up campaigning ahead of the 2026 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections.
With the election campaign entering its final phase, senior party leaders are holding meetings, addressing supporters and mobilizing candidates across the mountainous region, underscoring the growing significance of the upcoming vote.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to arrive in Gilgit-Baltistan on a one-day visit, where he will meet party leaders and electoral candidates.
During the visit, Sharif is expected to unveil the party’s “Vision Gilgit-Baltistan” initiative and address PML-N office-bearers and candidates. However, party officials said he will not address any public rally during his stay.
Meanwhile, several senior PML-N leaders, including Khawaja Saad Rafique, Abid Sher Ali, Murtaza Javed Abbasi and Abid Raza Kotla, are scheduled to address five election rallies across different parts of the region.
On the other hand, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), is already in Gilgit-Baltistan and is expected to address a major public gathering in Skardu later in the day.
The PPP leader is also scheduled to hold meetings with the party’s local leadership as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s campaign ahead of the polls.
At the same time, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan is in Gilgit, where he is meeting party workers and local leaders.
Gohar is also expected to visit campaign offices of PTI-backed candidates, reflecting the party’s efforts to maintain its presence in the electoral contest despite ongoing political challenges.
Political analysts say the increased engagement of top party leaders has injected fresh momentum into the election campaign as voters prepare to head to the polls.
As the campaign enters its closing stages, the presence of the leadership of all three major parties is expected to further intensify political competition, setting the stage for a closely watched electoral contest in Gilgit-Baltistan in the coming days.
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