- PPP decided to join Gilgit-Baltistan coalition government.
- PPP will receive post of deputy speaker in GB Assembly and two ministries.
- Haji Gulbar Khan was elected as GB Chief Minister.
GILGIT: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided to join the newly installed government of Gilgit-Baltistan led by Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan, BOL News reported.
The PPP leadership has informed the local GB officials about the party’s decision to become a part of the allied government. The party will be given cabinet positions in the next cabinet.
The PPP will be given the post of deputy speaker in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly. It has decided to nominate Saadia Danish as the party’s candidate for the coveted post. The party will receive two ministerial posts in the cabinet in the next phase.
Earlier this week, Haji Gulbar Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) forward bloc was elected as the new Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan. He received the support of 19 lawmakers, also from the included the PPP and PML-N.
PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira played a role in the formation of the new setup in Gilgit-Baltistan after holding meetings with leaders of different parties to evolve a consensus to form a coalition government.
Ahead of the elections, Kaira met GB Governor Syed Mehdi Shah and Opposition Leader in the GB Assembly and PPP President Advocate Amjad Hussain PML-N and JUI-F leaders.
Kaira tried to convince the PPP leader Advocate Amjad Hussain and PPP GB Assembly member Shahzad Agha to withdraw their resignations as they have presented their resignations to GB assembly speaker in protest against the nomination of PTI disgruntled member Gulber Khan as a candidate for the post of the GB chief minister.
In the 32-member house, PTI has 19 members, PPP four, PML-N three, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen three, Islami Tehreek Pakistan one, JUI-F one, and one independent candidate. The total number of PTI members in the GB Assembly has been reduced to 21 after the disqualification of Khalid Khurshid Khan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in consultation with PPP and JUI-F, had nominated Haji Gulber Khan, a disgruntled member of PTI, for the position of chief minister.
Three forward blocs have emerged in the PTI. One is led by Gulber Khan, the second by Javed Ali Manwa and the third by Raja Azam Khan. The PTI has issued notices to those who defied party policy in the chief minister’s election.
