PPP's Amjad Hussain sworn in as Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Amjad Hussain was sworn in as the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan's northern mountainous region, during an official ceremony in Gilgit on Monday.

The inauguration followed the June regional elections, with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari attending the event in support of the new administration.

How did Amjad Hussain become Gilgit-Baltistan's chief minister?

Advocate Amjad Hussain secured the position unopposed after the PPP emerged as the largest party in the June 7 regional elections, winning 12 seats in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly. He was formally elected chief minister on June 22 after the party reached a governing arrangement with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

In his address, Hussain credited the region's youth and women voters for helping his party secure victory. He also thanked residents of Nagar district for their electoral support, saying the election results reflected long-standing public confidence in the PPP.

Hussain acknowledged the cooperation of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party Chairman Aleem Khan during the government formation process, describing it as an example of democratic collaboration.

The new chief minister also highlighted Gilgit-Baltistan's environmental significance, noting that the region contains thousands of glaciers that feed the Indus River system. The river is Pakistan's primary water source, supporting agriculture, hydropower generation, and millions of people downstream.

PPP's renew call for constitutional rights

Speaking at the ceremony, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari pledged to continue advocating for greater constitutional rights for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Gilgit-Baltistan is administered by Pakistan but does not have the same constitutional status as the country's four provinces. Political leaders in the region have long called for expanded constitutional protections and representation in Pakistan's national institutions.

Bilawal said his party's election campaign focused on improving governance, implementing land reforms, and creating employment opportunities. He also reiterated the PPP's commitment to granting residents stronger property rights and increasing political representation.

The PPP leader referred to the party's historical role in reforms affecting the region, including the abolition of the Frontier Crimes Regulation under former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and later efforts to formally recognize the territory as Gilgit-Baltistan.

Although the PPP and PML-N initially discussed forming a coalition government, both parties later agreed that the PML-N would serve as the opposition in the regional assembly.

The swearing-in ceremony, held at Chinar Bagh in Gilgit, had originally been scheduled for July 1 but was postponed after Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari traveled to Iran to attend the funeral of senior Iranian figures following the country's recent state mourning.