PPP’s Amjad Hussain sworn in as G-B chief minister

GILGIT: Pakistan People’s Party nominee Amjad Hussain Advocate was sworn in as the new chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday, marking the start of a new coalition government in the region.

The oath-taking ceremony, held at the historic Chinar Bagh, was administered by Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Syed Mehdi Shah.

The event was also attended by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, alongside central and regional leadership of the party, senior bureaucrats and newly elected members of the GB Assembly.

Amjad Hussain was nominated to the top provincial slot on June 22, following the June 7 general election in the region.

The PPP emerged as the single largest party in the house, securing 12 seats in the 24-member Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly.

In a political arrangement mirroring the power-sharing formula at the federal level, the PPP decided to form the G-B government with the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Sources close to the development said that cabinet portfolios will be distributed between the coalition partners in the coming days.

In his first address after taking the oath, Hussain said his government would strive to attract investment to Gilgit-Baltistan and work to fulfil the expectations of the people.

He thanked the PML-N leadership for supporting the formation of the coalition government, saying the party had upheld democratic norms by providing the PPP an opportunity to lead the administration.

“The people of Gilgit-Baltistan have reposed their trust in the PPP leadership,” he said, adding that the party had secured an unprecedented mandate in Diamer and would make every effort to deliver on its promises.

He said promoting tourism would be one of his government’s priorities, describing Gilgit-Baltistan as a region that could be developed into a major tourist destination. He called for the introduction of an on-arrival visa facility for visitors and said the government would focus on improving tourist facilities and upgrading road infrastructure.

Hussain said Gilgit-Baltistan was rich in mineral resources and stressed the need to utilise local resources more effectively for economic development.

He also noted the region’s strategic location at the crossroads of Central, South and East Asia, as well as its unique biodiversity and rare wildlife, saying these assets further enhanced its tourism potential.

The chief minister said ensuring transparency and good governance would remain the foremost priorities of his administration.

Who is Amjad Hussain Advocate?

Amjad Hussain, who serves as the provincial president of the PPP in Gilgit-Baltistan, is regarded as one of the region’s prominent political and legal figures.

Born in 1975 in Amphery, Gilgit, he belongs to a political family. His late father, Azar Khan, was a senior PPP leader and served as chairman of Gilgit district.

Hussain completed his early education in Gilgit before obtaining an LLB degree from the University of the Punjab in 2000 and beginning his legal career.

He entered active politics during his student years and was elected district president of the Peoples Students Federation in 1996. He later served as president of the Gilgit-Baltistan Bar Council and the Peoples Lawyers Forum and is currently a senior advocate of the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan.

From 2010 to 2015, Amjad Hussain served as a member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council, where he worked on legislation, constitutional reforms and efforts to secure greater administrative powers for the region.

He was appointed president of the PPP’s Gilgit-Baltistan chapter in 2016, when the party was facing organisational challenges.

Under his leadership, the PPP improved its electoral performance in the 2020 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections, winning four seats and emerging as the party with the highest overall vote share. Hussain himself won elections from two constituencies in Gilgit and Nagar.

Besides his legal and political career, Hussain is associated with the petroleum business and has a longstanding interest in sports, particularly football. Fishing and reading are among his hobbies.

He has said his government’s priorities will include strengthening governance, protecting ownership and employment rights, pursuing institutional reforms and addressing the concerns of young people in Gilgit-Baltistan.