Two holidays announced for schools due to Gilgit-Baltistan elections
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
GILGIT – Authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan have announced a two-day holiday of all government educational institutions as preparations continue for the 2026 elections. According to the Chief Secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan, public schools and colleges across the region will remain closed on Friday and Saturday due to election-related arrangements. Officials said that a large number of schools and colleges in Gilgit-Baltistan have been designated as polling stations. The temporary closure will allow election authorities to complete the necessary preparations and facilitate the polling process. Earlier, the Election Commission has released the final list of candidates for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly General Elections 2026, showing that 403 candidates will compete across 24 constituencies. The data highlights a strong presence of independent contenders, while female participation remains minimal. Out of the total, 272 candidates are running as independents, whereas 131 are affiliated with political parties. Among the parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) leads with 23 candidates, followed closely by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 22 candidates. Other parties in the fray include the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) with 15 candidates, Pakistan Muslim League (PML) with 11, Islami Tehreek Pakistan and Pakistan Nazriyati Party with 10 each, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) fielding 9 candidates. Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) has 7 candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have nominated 6 each. The Awami Workers Party is represented by 4 candidates. Constituency-level figures show some highly competitive races. GBA-2 Gilgit-II is set to be the most contested seat, with 40 candidates vying for it, followed by GBA-14 Astore-II with 33 candidates. On the other hand, GBA-24 Ghanche-III has the fewest candidates, with only 6 individuals contesting. Women remain significantly underrepresented in the elections. Only 8