Women’s participation in the GB polls shows that female representation remains low, but not absent, in the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections. A clarification issued after an earlier report confirmed that at least 19 women have submitted nomination papers for the June 7, 2026, elections.
The confusion arose after the Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission Secretariat released a combined count of more than 660 candidates across 24 constituencies without providing a gender breakdown. That omission created the mistaken impression that no women were contesting the polls.
Subsequent inquiries found that at least 19 women had filed nomination papers. Some unofficial compilations put the number even higher, at 26, but election authorities stressed that the current tally remains preliminary.
GB Election Commissioner Abid Raza said the figure is not exhaustive and that officials will only know the final list of eligible candidates after scrutinising nomination papers and determining eligibility. That means the number of women in the race could still change in the coming days.
The original reporting problem appears to have stemmed from how officials presented the first summary. The Election Commission’s earlier statement listed the total number of candidates but did not distinguish between male and female contenders. As a result, some interpreted the absence of a gender breakdown as proof that no women had entered the race.
The clarification is important because it corrects a misleading narrative around women’s participation in GB politics. Even though the number remains small compared with the total field, the updated data shows women are present in the electoral contest.
The total number of nomination papers filed ranges between 664 and 669, while the commonly cited figure remains 666 across 24 constituencies. Based on the current available numbers, women account for only a small share of overall candidates.
Read: Gilgit-Baltistan Election Schedule Announced for June 7
Still, the revised data changes the conversation from a zero-participation claim to one of underrepresentation. That distinction matters as scrutiny continues and the final candidate list moves closer to publication. Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections are scheduled for June 7, 2026.
