GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court disqualified PPP candidate Fida Muhammad Nashad for concealing his assets in his nomination papers, setting aside a GB Chief Court order that had earlier allowed him to contest the recent general elections from constituency GBA-09 Skardu-III.
GB Supreme Appellate Court Chief Judge Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan announced the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides and examining revenue records submitted by the Election Commission’s representatives. The court found that Nashad had concealed details of his assets in the nomination papers he submitted to contest the elections.
The returning officer (RO) had initially rejected Nashad’s nomination papers over the concealment. Nashad challenged the RO’s decision before the election tribunal, which upheld the rejection. He then approached the GB Chief Court, which allowed him to contest the elections by setting aside the tribunal’s verdict.
Nashad went on to win the seat. The GB Election Commission issued Form 47 after the June elections, declaring him the returned candidate from GBA-09 Skardu-III. His opponent, Zakir Hussain, subsequently challenged his eligibility before the GB Supreme Appellate Court.
Justice Shamim Khan had issued an order on June 19, suspending the announcement of the result from the constituency until a final decision in the case.
In Thursday’s verdict, the court declared the GB Chief Court’s order dated May 25, 2026, “null and void” and restored the election tribunal’s decision disqualifying Nashad. Justice Shamim ruled that the tribunal had rightly disqualified Nashad under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution of Pakistan for concealing assets, making false statements, and violating mandatory provisions of the Election Act.
The court further held that the GB Chief Court had allowed Nashad’s writ petition against the tribunal’s final decision without any sound legal reason. It ordered that a copy of the decision be sent to the GB chief election commissioner for immediate legal action.
The PPP emerged as the largest party in Gilgit-Baltistan in the June 7 elections, winning 12 of the 24 seats in the GB assembly. The party announced it would form the government with support from the PML-N, with the PML-N agreeing to sit in opposition. On Monday, PPP-nominated Advocate Amjad Hussain took oath as the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan.
