Thirty newly elected members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly took oath on Monday, formally launching a new legislative term and setting the stage for the formation of the region’s next government. The inaugural session was chaired by Speaker Nazir Ahmed Advocate, who administered the oath and congratulated lawmakers after the ceremony.
The newly sworn-in assembly reflects the outcome of the recent Gilgit-Baltistan elections, with several political parties securing representation. The Pakistan Peoples Party emerged as the largest group with 13 members, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz with nine seats and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party with six members.
In addition, the assembly includes one representative from Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and independent members backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The oath-taking ceremony marked the first constitutional step toward establishing a new administration and initiating the process of electing key parliamentary office holders.
The assembly will now move forward with the election of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Leader of the House. Reports indicate that Pakistan Peoples Party leader Imran Nadeem has been elected unopposed as Speaker, strengthening the party’s position in the government formation process.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party nominee Amjad Hussain Advocate is expected to become the next Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan. Under assembly rules, the election for the chief minister’s office can only take place after the Speaker has formally been elected by the house.
Despite the start of legislative proceedings, the assembly remains incomplete because notifications for three Gilgit constituencies are still pending due to a court order. As a result, those constituencies currently remain without representation until the legal process concludes and the final election notifications are issued.