GB election tribunal suspends IPP's Imam Malik's membership, orders recount of postal ballots in GBA-16 Diamer-II

GB election tribunal suspends IPP's Imam Malik's membership, orders recount of postal ballots in GBA-16 Diamer-II.

Key points

• Jamil Nagri Published September 11, 2026 Updated September 11, 2026 11: 29pm.
• The order declared the final consolidated result of the constituency, dated June 16, 2025, illegal for not including the postal ballot papers.
• Khan, through his counsel Advocate Islamuddin, had challenged the issuance of the election result of GBA-16 Diamer-II after the GB general elections in June.
• Election tribunal judge Mushtaq Ahmed conducted a hearing on a petition filed by PPP candidate Attaullah Khan challenging the general election result in the constituency.
• The order remarked the entire exercise should be concluded within five days, including Sunday, September 13, from the date of the order.

Jamil Nagri Published September 11, 2026 Updated September 11, 2026 11: 29pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

GILGIT: A Gilgit-Baltistan election tribunal on Friday suspended the GB Assembly membership of Istehkam-I-Pakistan Party's (IPP) Imam Malik from GBA-16 Diamer-II, directing the returning officer (RO) of the constituency to complete the verification and counting of postal ballot papers by September 16.

In practice, the petitioner argued that the RO of the constituency had issued Form 49 without counting the postal ballots. Subsequently, the GB chief election commissioner (CEC) had declared Malik, then an independent candidate, the winner from the constituency. He afterwards joined the IPP.

Meanwhile, the petitioner pleaded with the tribunal to declare the result of the constituency null and void and the notification declaring the returned candidate illegal.

He additionally requested the tribunal to problem a consolidated result after counting the postal ballots.

After hearing arguments from both sides and considering reports from the CEC, Justice Ahmed issued the verdict in the case on Friday.

Notably, the judgement remarked the RO had no authority to problem a provisional consolidated result. The CEC had additionally committed a serious error by issuing a declaration based on the provisional consolidated result, it went on.

"The preliminary order is issued to ensure strict compliance with the mandatory statutory requirement under Section 95 of the Elections Act 2017 read with Rule 85 of the Elections Rules 2017, for the issuance of the final consolidated result of the constituency GBA-16 Diamer-II, " Justice Ahmed wrote in his judgement.

Meanwhile, the judgement directed the RO of the constituency to open the sealed parcel containing the postal ballot papers in the presence of the parties or their duly authorised agents.

For context, the order remarked: "To ensure transparency and judicial oversight, Fahad Bin Naqeeb, a senior civil judge, Gilgit, and Raja Mir, assistant registrar, GB Chief Court, along with the assisting team of this tribunal, shall remain present throughout the result consolidation proceedings."

Meanwhile, the election tribunal judge additionally directed the police to produce stringent and foolproof security arrangements at the venue.

It continued that upon completion of the verification and counting of postal ballot papers, the RO would prepare and problem the final consolidated result, Form-49, and submit it to the CEC.

It remarked that, on the basis of the final consolidated result, the CEC would problem a fresh declaration of the returned candidate.

Notably, the order remarked the entire exercise should be concluded within five days, including Sunday, September 13, from the date of the order.

For context, the order declared the final consolidated result of the constituency, dated June 16, 2025, illegal for not including the postal ballot papers. It additionally suspended Malik's membership of GBA-16 Diamer-II until completion of the final consolidated result.

Jamil Nagri is a Gilgit-Baltistan-based correspondent for Dawn with over a decade of experience in journalism. His reporting and feature writing focus on CPEC, climate change, the environment, and adventure tourism. He can be discovered on X at @jamilnagri.

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