GILGIT: Thirty newly elected members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly took their oaths of office on Monday, marking a crucial step toward the formation of a coalition government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in this strategically significant region.
The oath-taking ceremony occurred during the inaugural session of the region’s sixth assembly, with the outgoing speaker, Nazir Ahmed Advocate, administering the process. The session began at 9 a.m. and was adjourned until 3 p.m., when the assembly is scheduled to elect its new speaker, deputy speaker, and chief minister.
Of the assembly’s total 33 seats, 30 members were sworn in, including 21 elected on general seats, six women occupying reserved seats, and three technocrats. However, official notifications for three general constituencies—one in Skardu and two in Diamer—remain withheld due to ongoing judicial rulings and electoral disputes, leaving those seats temporarily vacant.
Following the June 7 regional elections, the assembly’s composition includes 13 members from the PPP, nine from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), six from the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP), one from the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM), and one independent lawmaker backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
In a significant development, the PPP is poised to secure the region’s top leadership positions after reaching a power-sharing agreement with rival mainstream parties. Both the PML-N and IPP have officially declared their support for the PPP-led coalition in the forthcoming assembly votes.
The PPP has nominated Amjad Hussain Advocate as its candidate for chief minister, while Imran Nadeem, also from the PPP, is expected to be elected as the new speaker. Under the coalition agreement, the deputy speaker position will be allocated to Malik Kifayat of the PML-N, reflecting the collaborative nature of the emerging government.
