Bilawal Picks Amjad Hussain for Gilgit-Baltistan CM Role

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday approved Advocate Amjad Hussain as the party’s nominee for the office of Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister, moving the region closer to a new elected government after the latest political contest.

The decision follows the PPP’s strong showing in the recent Gilgit-Baltistan elections and comes after the party reached an understanding with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to form the next regional administration. The development gives the PPP the lead role in government formation while keeping the PML-N within the broader power-sharing arrangement.

Under the proposed formula discussed by local leaders of both parties, the chief minister’s office is expected to go to the PPP, while key constitutional and parliamentary positions are to be shared with the PML-N. The arrangement is being watched closely because Gilgit-Baltistan’s political setup often reflects wider alignments between national parties in Islamabad and regional stakeholders.

According to a party statement issued on X, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari conveyed his decision regarding Amjad Hussain and also spoke to him by telephone. The PPP chairman directed him to focus on forming the government and advancing the constitutional and economic rights of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Amjad Hussain is not a new figure in the region’s politics. He has served as the PPP’s Gilgit-Baltistan president since 2016 and recently secured victory from GBA-I, strengthening his claim to the top elected office. A lawyer by profession, he is known for his work on legal and constitutional questions linked to the region’s status.

His political career includes membership of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly from 2020 to 2025 and a previous term on the GB Council from 2009 to 2014. During the PTI-led government of Khalid Khurshid, he also served as opposition leader in the GB Assembly, giving him experience on both the treasury and opposition benches.

Hussain has long associated his politics with the slogans of right to rule and right to ownership, themes that later shaped the PPP’s regional campaign. He was also linked to the GB Land Reforms Act passed in 2025, a measure aimed at strengthening local ownership rights and addressing long-running concerns over land and identity.

The nomination carries significance beyond party politics. Gilgit-Baltistan remains strategically important for Pakistan due to its geography, tourism potential, water resources and connection to major infrastructure corridors. A stable regional government could influence development priorities, federal coordination and the handling of long-standing demands for greater constitutional recognition.

The next steps are expected to include formal parliamentary procedures, coalition coordination and selection of other office-holders under the PPP-PML-N understanding. If the arrangement holds, Amjad Hussain’s administration will face immediate pressure to translate campaign promises into governance, particularly on economic rights, land issues and the region’s constitutional future.