Pakistan Peoples Party’s Amjad Hussain is set to take oath today, Monday, as the chief minister of Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, Pakistani state media reported. The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) regional assembly on June 21 elected Hussain unopposed as no other candidate had submitted their nomination papers for the post of the GB chief minister.
Swearing-In Ceremony Details
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has already arrived in Gilgit to attend Hussain’s swearing-in ceremony. “Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah will administer the oath,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
Strategic and Economic Significance of Gilgit-Baltistan
GB, a semi-autonomous region in northern Pakistan that borders China, Afghanistan and Indian-administered Kashmir, is home to some of the world’s tallest peaks, including parts of the Karakoram mountain range, and is one of Pakistan’s most important regions for tourism, water resources and strategic connectivity. Yet the region faces economic challenges due to its remote location, limited industrial development, inadequate infrastructure, and restricted access to markets and investment opportunities. The local economy mainly depends on agriculture, livestock, tourism, and small-scale trade.
Hussain's Priorities for the Region
Shortly after his election on June 21, Hussain said that resolving the issues of Gilgit-Baltistan would remain his top priority. “Gilgit-Baltistan is the richest region in the world in terms of resources, and these resources will be utilized for human development,” he said. “Comprehensive measures will be taken under a strategy to eradicate unemployment from this region.”
General Election Results and Assembly Composition
The GB election commission last month issued final results of the June 7 general election, with the PPP winning nine seats, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with six and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) with four seats. The commission also notified the reserved seats, which increased the PPP’s strength in the 33-member assembly to 13 seats, PML-N to nine seats, and IPP to six seats.
Kashmir Dispute Context
GB lies in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, disputed between India and Pakistan. India has always claimed that it has the right to govern all territories in the Jammu and Kashmir region. Pakistan rejects these claims and accuses India of forcefully occupying the Jammu and Kashmir region since 1947. It also lays claim to all parts of Kashmir administered by India since both countries secured freedom from the British in 1947.
