Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday pledged to continue supporting development initiatives in Gilgit-Baltistan, promising infrastructure improvements, youth empowerment programmes and closer federal attention to the region.
Addressing a public gathering in Gilgit ahead of the June 7 general elections, Nawaz Sharif said he believed in seeking public support on the basis of performance rather than criticism of political opponents. Expressing his affection for Gilgit-Baltistan, he recalled visiting Gilgit and Skardu several times during his tenure as prime minister and stressed that development of the region would remain a priority regardless of electoral outcomes.
The former premier criticised the deteriorating condition of roads in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and questioned delays in the completion of key development projects, including hydropower schemes. He highlighted his previous government's role in constructing major highways and expanding the motorway network across the country.
Referring to the Gilgit-Skardu road project, Nawaz Sharif said significant investments had been made to improve connectivity and pledged to raise the issue of upgrading the road network up to Khunjerab Pass with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He described Gilgit-Baltistan as a vital hub of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and called for greater federal support to accelerate development in the region.
Nawaz Sharif also announced plans to provide scholarships, laptops for students, interest-free loans for young people and expanded employment opportunities. He said future development projects in the region would be personally monitored by him.
“If we form the government, I will visit Gilgit-Baltistan every two months,” he told the gathering, adding that his focus remained on solving public issues and improving living standards. The PML-N leader praised the federal government's solar energy initiatives, saying they had helped reduce electricity shortages in the region and should be expanded further.
Nawaz Sharif arrived in Gilgit on a one-day visit to lead the party's election campaign after the Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission granted him a no-objection certificate for campaign activities. He was accompanied by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Rana Sanaullah, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and other senior party leaders.
Meanwhile, senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique, while addressing a gathering in Skardu, called for a comprehensive solution to Gilgit-Baltistan's constitutional status. He urged parliament and national institutions to hold a meaningful debate on the issue and advocated a fair share for Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the National Finance Commission Award.
Rafique also emphasised the need for long-term planning to address development challenges, highlighting opportunities in air connectivity, hydropower generation and improvements in internet and road infrastructure to support economic growth in the region.
