GB CM-Elect Amjad Hussain Set For Oath As Bilawal Arrives
GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan is set for a major political transition today as chief minister-elect Advocate Amjad Hussain prepares to take the oath of office at Chinar Bagh, with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari arriving in the region to attend the ceremony.
The oath-taking had originally been scheduled for July 1 but was delayed after Bilawal travelled to Iran to attend the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. After returning from Tehran, the PPP chief reached Skardu on Sunday and later proceeded to Gilgit, where senior party leaders and regional officials received him.
Amjad Hussain was elected unopposed as Leader of the House in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly on June 22. His swearing-in is expected to formally open the next phase of government formation after weeks of political consultations following the regional polls.
According to the schedule reported from the party side, Bilawal will also attend a memorial event for the martyrs of the Gilgit-Baltistan War of Independence before the oath ceremony. Governor Syed Mehdi Shah is expected to administer the oath, while members of the assembly, senior officials, PPP leaders and party workers are likely to attend.
The formation of the cabinet is now the central issue before the incoming administration. Sources said Bilawal is expected to hold consultations on the composition of the cabinet during his visit, with the PPP preparing to accommodate allies who supported Amjad Hussain for the chief minister’s office.
The Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party is expected to be included in the government after backing the PPP candidate, with sources indicating that three ministries may be allocated to the party. The PML-N also supported the PPP nominee under a broader understanding between the central leaderships of the two parties, which includes arrangements for key parliamentary and constitutional positions.
The political transition is unfolding alongside continuing election-related litigation. The Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court has ordered re-polling at Loshi polling station in GBA-15 Diamer and at eight polling stations in GBA-17 Diamer, while proceedings in another Skardu constituency case remain pending.
These disputes have kept parts of the electoral process under legal scrutiny, including petitions challenging results and the earlier suspension of some outcomes. The decisions will be closely watched because they may affect political calculations, coalition confidence and the balance of influence within the new assembly.
For Gilgit-Baltistan, the new government’s immediate test will be to move beyond election management and begin addressing governance, development and public service priorities in a strategically important region. The oath ceremony gives the PPP-led setup its formal start, but the durability of the arrangement will depend on cabinet choices, alliance discipline and the resolution of pending electoral challenges.