PPP nominates Amjad Advocate for G-B chief minister

ISLAMABAD/GILGIT: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has nominated its regional president, Amjad Hussain Advocate, as its candidate for the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister.

The move marks a historic shift in regional politics, as the party has for the first time nominated a candidate from the Gilgit region for the top executive slot.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a telephonic conversation with Hussain following the nomination, directing him to begin the process of government formation and to prioritise the implementation of constitutional and economic rights for the people of the strategic northern territory.

Hussain, who currently serves as the president of the PPP’s Gilgit-Baltistan chapter, secured his seat in the regional assembly from the GBA-1 (Gilgit) constituency in the recently held general election.

Election Results and Coalition Dynamics

The Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan has officially notified the results of 21 out of 24 general seats.

According to the commission’s notification, the PPP emerged as the single largest party with 11 seats, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with six seats.

Independent candidates — who joined the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) — have won four, PTI-backed candidates have won two and the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen has secured one seat.

Official results for three constituencies—GBA-9 (Skardu-III), GBA-17 (Diamer-III), and GBA-15 (Diamer-I) — have been deferred and will be announced at a later date.

Out of six seats reserved for women, the PPP secured three, the PML-N two, and the IPP one.

The three available technocrat seats were divided equally, with the PPP, PML-N, and IPP receiving one seat each.

Senior PPP leader Nayyar Hussain Bukhari stated that with the inclusion of reserved and technocrat seats, the party’s strength would rise to a clear majority of 17 to 19 seats in the house, ensuring it will comfortably form the next government.

PML-N Pledges Support

The nomination follows a breakthrough power-sharing understanding between the PPP and the PML-N to ensure political stability in the legislative assembly.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Gilgit alongside PPP leaders, PML-N regional leader Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman announced that his party would vote for the PPP’s nominee during the election for the Leader of the House.

Rehman said that the distribution of other constitutional offices, including the deputy speaker and the Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan, would be finalised in accordance with a broader formula agreed upon by the central leadership of both parties in Islamabad.

PPP leadership expressed gratitude to the PML-N for its legislative backing, describing the consensus as a significant step toward establishing durable governance in the region.