GILGIT:
As election time approaches and political temperatures rise sharply across Gilgit-Baltistan, the contest has entered its busiest phase, where campaigning was in full swing, rival parties engaged in intense mobilization and every corner of the region – from remote valleys to bustling city centers – echoed with slogans, rallies and last-ditch efforts to sway an increasingly attentive electorate.
Party flags fly by roadsides, election banners line narrow streets and workers’ slogans echo through bustling neighborhoods, reflecting an atmosphere where corner meetings, rallies and public gatherings have become a daily feature of political life. In many districts, candidates are making every effort to win the trust of voters as Election Day approaches.
Against the picturesque backdrop of Britain’s green mountains and valleys, political activity took on a vibrant intensity. Observers say the campaign has entered its final and most critical phase, where narrative building and voter engagement are now central to party strategies.
Some parties project promises of development and infrastructure improvements, while others craft visions of a more stable and prosperous future. Yet local sentiment appears increasingly discerning, with many voters showing more caution and reluctance to be swayed by rhetoric alone.
All eyes are now on polling day on June 7, when the decisive power of the ballot will determine which political force gains ascendancy in Britain’s evolving political landscape.
Meanwhile, amid an intensified electoral environment, senior leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) held high-level consultations in Gilgit, focusing on the evolving electoral situation and potential avenues for cooperation.
Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and former Federal Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira met Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain and PML-Q General Secretary Tariq Hassan, where detailed discussions were held on the electoral landscape, possible joint strategies and broader political alignments.
The PPP delegation included GB Governor Syed Mehdi Shah, Punjab Governor Saleem Haider and central leader Chaudhry Manzoor, while the PML-Q side was represented by central spokesperson Ghulam Mustafa Malik. Other participants included Anila Ayaz Chaudhry, Rizwan Sadiq and PPP GB Chairman Dilfaraz Khan.
Sources said the two sides reviewed the overall political situation, explored possibilities for post-election cooperation and government formation scenarios, and discussed coordination in the context of the ongoing election campaign. Both sides agreed to continue consultations and maintain contact in the coming days.
Participants expressed satisfaction with the constructive progress. Shah noted that mutual respect between PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would be further strengthened, adding that coordinated strategies could yield better electoral results in Britain.
According to PML-Q spokesperson Ghulam Mustafa Malik, the meeting was convened under the leadership of party leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. He added that the delegation also briefed senior leaders, including Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, Dr Muhammad Amjad and Punjab President Malik Muhammad Sameen, and reiterated that all decisions would remain subject to the approval of the party leadership.
