Gilgit: The newly elected members of the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Assembly were sworn in on Monday as the first session of the sixth legislative assembly formally commenced in Gilgit.
Outgoing Speaker Nazir Ahmed Advocate administered the oath to 30 lawmakers, including 21 members elected on general seats, six women elected on reserved seats and three technocrat members. Elections in three constituencies remain unresolved due to ongoing legal and electoral proceedings.
Following the oath-taking ceremony, the assembly session was adjourned until 3pm.
The inaugural sitting had been convened to administer the oath to newly elected representatives and to initiate the process for the election of the speaker and deputy speaker.
The assembly was constituted following the June 7 elections, in which the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as the largest political force with 13 seats. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured nine seats, while the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) won six seats. Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) and a PTI-backed independent candidate each secured one seat.
In the aftermath of the election, the PML-N and IPP announced their support for the PPP in the formation of the next provincial government. The PPP has confirmed that it will establish the new administration with the backing of its coalition partners.
Advocate Amjad Hussain of the PPP is expected to be elected as the next chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, while PPP leader Imran Nadeem is the frontrunner for the position of speaker. PML-N’s Malik Kifayat is expected to assume the office of deputy speaker.
The commencement of the sixth assembly marks the beginning of a new legislative term in Gilgit-Baltistan, with coalition partners preparing to form the government and fill key constitutional positions in the coming days.