PPP, PML-N Finalise Power-Sharing Deal for GB Government

The Pakistan Peoples Party is set to lead the next government in Gilgit-Baltistan after reaching a power-sharing arrangement with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, party leaders announced late Saturday. The agreement follows the June 7 elections and is expected to shape the region’s political direction as the new assembly prepares to begin its work.

Under the proposed formula, the chief minister and speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly will come from the PPP, while the governor, deputy speaker and leader of the opposition will be linked to the PML-N. The arrangement mirrors the broader political cooperation between the two parties at the federal level, where both sides have continued to work together despite separate party identities.

The PPP emerged as the largest party after the GB polls, securing 12 seats in the 24-member assembly. The PML-N’s decision to support the PPP gives the party a clearer path to government formation and reduces uncertainty over whether smaller parties or independents could influence the final balance of power.

The decision was announced after consultations between PPP GB president Amjad Hussain and PML-N GB president Hafeez Hafeezur Rehman. A joint statement said the two parties had agreed to move forward through consultation and consensus, with political stability, public welfare and democratic continuity presented as the main goals of the coalition understanding.

PML-N’s Hafeezur Rehman said the party’s local leadership had endorsed the decision of the central leadership to support the PPP in forming the regional government. He said the mandate given by the people of Gilgit-Baltistan should be respected and that the PML-N would play its role from the opposition benches under the agreed formula.

PPP’s Amjad Hussain thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the PML-N leadership for backing the PPP’s claim to the chief ministership. He said the arrangement would help strengthen democratic institutions in the region and added that both parties intended to work together to address long-standing issues faced by the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

The agreement is politically important because Gilgit-Baltistan’s governance has often been shaped by alliances, federal influence and post-election negotiations. With difficult development, infrastructure, tourism, climate and connectivity challenges ahead, a relatively stable coalition could help the region avoid prolonged uncertainty after the election cycle.

The deal also comes after recent disputes over some constituency results and protests that briefly disrupted movement on the Karakoram Highway. By finalising a government formation path, PPP and PML-N leaders appear to be trying to shift attention from electoral friction toward institutional transition and administrative continuity.

For Pakistan, the development carries national significance because Gilgit-Baltistan is strategically linked to tourism, border security, water resources and key connectivity routes. A functioning regional government will be expected to manage development demands, public services and local political expectations at a time when national parties are closely watching the northern region’s political balance.

The next step will be the formal assembly process, oath-taking and official nomination of candidates for top positions. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is expected to make the final decision on key appointments, while the inclusion of other parties such as the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party may depend on further consultations.