Notwithstanding India's objection, Pakistan today held legislative assembly elections in the strategic Gilgit-Baltistan region amid tight security.
The counting is already underway for 24 seats for which 272 candidates are in the fray, officials said today.
Voting began at 8am and continued until 4pm, with minor scuffles breaking out leaving some people injured due to which balloting was temporarily suspended at certain places.
It is the second time Pakistan is holding polls to elect a regional legislature after devolution of powers in 2009 which changed the region's name from Northern Areas to Gilgit-Baltistan and provided it with a local assembly.
Women also came out in large numbers for voting in the polls, in which ruling Pakistan Muslim League was leading at nine seats in partial counting, Geo TV reported.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), about 6,18,364 registered voters were expected to exercise their franchise to elect six members of the assembly from Skardu district, four from Diamer, three each from Gilgit, Hunza Nagar, Ghizer and Ganche and two from Astor.
The polls were held in tight security, with 282 of the total 1,143 polling stations declared "highly sensitive" and another 269 as "sensitive".
