‘Election for GB CM on July 13’

KARACHI: Gilgit Baltistan Assembly will elect its new Leader of the House on July 13.

According to electoral schedule announced by Secretary Gilgit Baltistan Assembly Abdul Razzaq, the nomination papers for the slot of chief minister GB will be received at 2pm on July 12 at the assembly secretariat. Presiding officers will scrutinise the nomination papers of the candidates at 4pm the same day.

The candidates can withdraw from the candidacy till 10 am July 13, while the polling for the CM slot will be held at 12pm at the assembly hall. Soon after completion of polling, the votes will be counted, and the name of the successful candidate will be announced.

It is pertinent to mention that the former CM Gilgit Baltistan Khalid Khursheed was disqualified by the chief court for having a fake degree. Out of 33-member GB Assembly, 31 members except the speaker and the disqualified former CM, will cast their votes for the election of the chief minister GB.

With 17 members, Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf is the single largest party in the Gilgit Baltistan, however, it has been divided into three factions. One of the factions is led by Raja Azam - party’s nominated candidate for the CM slot - the other groups are headed by defectors Haji Gulbar Khan and Javed Manwa. The party positon in the assembly is as follows; PDM 9 members, MWM 3 members, TI and JUI 1 each.

Opposition leader and provincial president PPP Amjad Advocate withdrew his candidature from the slot of CM and added that PPP would not participate in the election of CM. However, PMLN has nominated Engineer Muhammad Anwar from Diamer for the CM slot.