GILGIT: Members of the newly elected Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly took the oath on Monday as the first session of the region’s sixth legislative assembly commenced in Gilgit.
The oath was administered by outgoing Speaker Nazir Ahmed Advocate to 30 lawmakers, including 21 members elected on general seats, six women elected on reserved seats and three technocrats. Elections in three constituencies are yet to be finalised owing to pending legal and electoral matters.
Following the swearing-in ceremony, the session was adjourned until 3 pm.
The assembly had been convened at 9 am for the oath-taking of newly elected members and the election of the speaker and deputy speaker.
According to the results of the June 7 polls, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as the largest party with 13 seats, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with nine seats and the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) with six. The Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) and a PTI-backed independent candidate secured one seat each.
The PML-N and IPP have announced support for the PPP in the elections for chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker, paving the way for a coalition government. The PPP has already declared its intention to form the next government in Gilgit-Baltistan with the backing of the PML-N.
PPP leader Advocate Amjad Hussain is expected to be elected chief minister, while Imran Nadeem is likely to secure the position of speaker. PML-N’s Malik Kifayat is anticipated to be elected deputy speaker.
