Barrister Khalid PTI candidate for GB CM slot

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Barrister Khalid Khurshid has been named Friday for the chief minister slot in Gilgit-Balistan. Barrister Khalid had a close contest with Fathullah Khan.

Khalid’s name was finalized here at a meeting presided by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by PTI Chief Organiser Saifullah Khan Nyazee. For the first time, apart from its government in the Centre, PTI will form government in the region, which was ruled by PML-N chief minister Hafiz ur Rehman.

The key slot of GB Assembly Speaker has already been pocketed by PTI and it got elected Syed Amjad Ali after PTI had emerged as the single largest party in the recent elections in the region.

It was learnt that the name of Barrister Khalid was finalized after consultations with the PTI central leadership and its chapter in Gilgit-Baltistan. The GB legislature consists of a total of 33 members; 24 directly elected and nine on reserved seats and 21 members belong to PTI whereas PPP is the second largest party in the assembly with four members. PTI's ally, MWM, has three seats. Likewise, PML-N also has two general and one reserved seat for women and the total number of its seats is three. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam has one seat in the assembly while an independent member is also part of the GB legislature.