Defections Rock GB Race: Amjad Zaidi, Wazir Hassan, Javed Ali Manwa Switch Parties Ahead of June 7 Polls

Gilgit — Less than a month before polling day, the political map of Gilgit-Baltistan is being redrawn in real time. A wave of high-profile defections — driven almost entirely by disputes over party tickets — is reshaping the candidate lists of the major parties and creating fresh uncertainty in several key constituencies ahead of the June 7, 2026 Assembly election.

The realignments have intensified in the days following ticket announcements by PPP, PML-N, and PTI, with at least four prominent leaders crossing party lines this week.

The Defectors

Syed Amjad Zaidi — PPP → Islami Tehreek Pakistan

Syed Amjad Zaidi, the former Speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, has left the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after the party declined to award him a ticket. Zaidi has now joined Islami Tehreek Pakistan, a Shia-affiliated religious-political party that holds a small but committed base in parts of GB including Skardu and Kharmang.

Some early reports suggested Zaidi might join Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), but his confirmation to Islami Tehreek was announced at a press conference attended by senior IT-P leaders. For PPP, the loss is significant — Zaidi commanded a personal vote bank built over multiple election cycles.

Wazir Hassan — PPP → PML-N

Wazir Hassan, a long-standing PPP leader from Rondu, has joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after being denied a party ticket for his home constituency. His defection is among the highest-profile PPP-to-PML-N shifts of this election cycle and is expected to influence vote dynamics in Rondu and adjacent constituencies in Skardu district.

Javed Ali Manwa — PPP → PML-N

The former Gilgit-Baltistan Finance Minister, Javed Ali Manwa, also switched from PPP to PML-N after being passed over in ticket allocation. Manwa hails from Nagar, where he has historically commanded strong personal support. His switch is being treated as a major coup by PML-N’s GB campaign team.

Sadia Danish’s Family — PPP → PML-N

In another notable shift, the aunt and extended family of senior PPP figure Sadia Danish have also formally joined PML-N. While not a frontline candidate switch, the move reflects deeper fractures within PPP’s traditional support networks in the region.

Why So Many Defections?

According to political analysts in Gilgit-Baltistan, the wave of defections has three core drivers:

1. Ticket disputes: Parties had to choose among multiple aspirants per constituency. Those passed over view defection as the only path to a viable candidacy.
2. Caretaker timing: With a neutral caretaker administration in place, party leaderships had limited tools to compel loyalty.
3. Federal coalition tensions: The fact that PPP and PML-N are coalition partners in Islamabad but contesting head-to-head in GB has created internal contradictions both parties are struggling to manage.

PML-N: The Biggest Beneficiary

Of the four publicly confirmed defections this week, three have moved to PML-N. This is no accident — party sources confirm that PML-N has been actively courting dissatisfied PPP figures for several weeks, offering them platform access, campaign funding, and in some cases reserved-seat assurances.

PML-N’s emerging strategy is clear: rather than win seats on its own brand strength alone, the party is consolidating regional notables under its umbrella, leveraging existing personal vote banks while supplying federal coalition cover.

The PPP Response

The PPP leadership has so far publicly downplayed the defections, framing them as “individual decisions” rather than a systemic problem. Privately, however, party insiders concede that the loss of figures like Zaidi, Hassan, and Manwa weakens the party’s competitiveness in at least 4–5 constituencies where personal-vote dynamics tend to outweigh party branding.

More Defections Expected

According to multiple political sources, additional defections are expected before nomination papers close. “Several other disgruntled leaders and workers across various constituencies are actively considering changing party loyalties,” one party operative told reporters this week.

Possible additional candidates under consideration for switches include:

• Aspirants denied tickets in Hunza, Ghizer, and Astore districts
• Local council figures who failed to win PTI nominations
• Independent former MPAs who may align with a party for ticket leverage

What It Means for June 7

The defections complicate election projections in at least 6–8 constituencies, particularly across Skardu, Nagar, Rondu, and central Gilgit. Where personal-vote dynamics dominate over party branding, a single defection can flip a constituency.

For voters, the realignment means many ballots will feature familiar faces under unfamiliar party banners. The Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan (ECGB) has reiterated that all candidates — regardless of party movements — must complete formal nomination filings and scrutiny processes before being placed on the final ballot.

Nai Khabar will continue to track candidate-level realignments through to nomination day and beyond, with on-the-ground reporting from each of the major constituencies affected by these shifts.