Amjad Hussain elected unopposed as Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister

GILGIT: A senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker, Advocate Amjad Hussain, has been elected unopposed as Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan.

The announcement was made in an assembly sitting chaired by Speaker Imran Nadeem, as no other candidate submitted nomination papers for the chief minister’s post. Officials said all members present in the house supported Amjad Hussain.

The formation of the new government followed an agreement among the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, under which the Speaker and Deputy Speaker were also elected unopposed.

Earlier, PPP’s Imran Nadeem was elected unopposed as Speaker of the assembly, while PML-N’s Kifayat-ur-Rehman was chosen unopposed as Deputy Speaker.

Officials said Amjad Hussain, who currently serves as PPP Gilgit-Baltistan president, has previously represented the region in the Gilgit-Baltistan Council and has also won elections from multiple constituencies in past polls.

The oath-taking ceremony for the new chief minister will be announced later, authorities added.

Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a telephonic conversation with Aleem Khan, chairman of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), during which both leaders discussed government formation in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Sources said the PPP leadership extended an invitation to the IPP to join the coalition setup, which was reportedly accepted, with Aleem Khan agreeing to support PPP in forming the government and securing key parliamentary positions.

Aleem Khan said his party would back PPP candidates for the posts of chief minister, speaker, and other offices, adding that the talks with Bilawal Bhutto were “positive and cordial.”