ASTORE: PML-N’s Rana Muhammad Farooq has won the GBA-14 Astore-II constituency in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections, securing 7,058 votes according to the official Form-47 released by the Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan.
PPP’s Syed Muhammad Abbas finished second with 5,891 votes, while Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) candidate Shamsul Haq Lone came third with 5,144 votes. A total of 33 candidates contested the seat, including 23 independents. Of 37,219 registered voters, 20,078 cast their ballots, reflecting a voter turnout of 53.94 percent.
The result marks a notable political reversal for Shamsul Haq Lone, who had won this same seat in the 2020 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections and had since held prominent ministerial positions. Following the 2020 polls, Lone served as a key minister in the cabinet of Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid under PTI’s tenure in Gilgit-Baltistan.
However, following the disqualification of Khalid Khurshid and the subsequent collapse of the PTI-backed provincial government, Lone parted ways with PTI and aligned himself with the Gulbar Khan cabinet, continuing to hold ministerial office under the new administration. His decision to switch political loyalties and contest this election on an IPP ticket, however, failed to translate into voter support, as he finished a distant third behind both PML-N and PPP candidates.
Rana Muhammad Farooq’s victory in Astore-II adds to PML-N’s growing tally in the GB Assembly elections, as the party positions itself to play a central role in the formation of the next provincial government. The result further consolidates PML-N’s strong performance across Astore district, having also claimed GBA-13 Astore-I.
