Kamran Ali
Correspondent Nukta
Kamran Ali, a seasoned journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, has a decade of experience covering terrorism, human rights, politics, economy, climate change, culture, and sports. With an MS in Media Studies, he has worked across print, radio, TV, and digital media, producing investigative reports and co-hosting shows that highlight critical issues.
Amjad Hussain, 50, is a senior lawyer and politician who serves as PPP's provincial president in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Nukta
The Pakistan Peoples Party formally took control of the Gilgit-Baltistan government on Monday after its candidate, Amjad Hussain, was elected unopposed as the region's fifth chief minister. The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Secretariat declared Hussain elected without a vote after no rival candidate entered the race.
Who is the new chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan?
Amjad Hussain, 50, is a senior lawyer and politician who serves as PPP's provincial president in Gilgit-Baltistan. Born in 1975 in Amphari, Gilgit, he holds a law degree from the University of the Punjab and has practiced before the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan. He previously served on the Gilgit-Baltistan Council from 2010 to 2015 and was elected to the assembly in 2020.
Hussain comes from a prominent political family. His late father, Azar Khan, was a senior PPP leader and former chairman of District Gilgit. Hussain entered politics through the Peoples Students Federation, was elected its district president in 1996, and built his career as a party strategist and grassroots organizer. He also served as president of the Gilgit-Baltistan High Court Bar Association and the Peoples Lawyers Forum.
How did PPP form the Gilgit-Baltistan government unopposed?
All major constitutional positions in the assembly were filled without a contest. The secretariat said no competing candidates were nominated for the posts of chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, or leader of the opposition, reflecting a political understanding among parties in the 33-member house.
PPP lawmaker Imran Nadeem was elected speaker, while Malik Kifayatur Rehman became deputy speaker. Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was named leader of the opposition.
What are the current seat standings in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly?
According to Election Commission Gilgit-Baltistan spokesperson Bahadur Jameel, the PPP holds 13 seats, followed by PML-N with nine and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party with six. The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen holds one seat, while a PTI-backed independent member holds another. Results from three constituencies remain withheld due to pending litigation before the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Jameel said Forms 45 and 47 showed PPP leading in two of the disputed constituencies and PML-N in one, but results have been suspended until court proceedings conclude. Final hearings in the cases are scheduled for July 2.
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