GILGIT: Gulbar Khan, leader of a so-called forward bloc within Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), emerged on Thursday as the new chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan in a contentious election overshadowed by allegations of forced defections.
Khan secured a resounding victory, garnering 19 out of 20 votes from the members present in the legislative assembly. The other three candidates who had initially expressed interest in the position withdrew their nomination papers, leaving him unopposed.
Nawaz Khan Naji, an independent lawmaker, chose to abstain from voting, while members from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lent their support to the newly elected chief minister.
Notably, all 11 members belonging to the so-called like-minded group of PTI opted to boycott the vote, citing allegations of rigging, highlighting the divisions within the opposition party, which splintered into two factions following the removal by the top regional court of former chief minister Khalid Khursheed Khan.
The electoral turmoil resulted in Khan’s uncontested victory, cementing his position as Gilgit-Baltistan’s new chief minister.
In his address to the assembly following the election, Khan expressed gratitude to the lawmakers for their support, despite his ailing health. He emphasised his unwavering dedication to fostering peace and prosperity in the region, underscoring his commitment to the task ahead.
Hailing from the Diamer district, Khan had been leading a group of defectors within the ranks of PTI and had previously announced his intention to contest the position independently.
His experience in public service includes a tenure as the health minister of Gilgit-Baltistan under the previous PTI government, as well as his affiliation with the far-right Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party during 2010-2011.
According to the website of the GB assembly, he took the oath as a member on November 15, 2020, representing the GBA-18 (Diamer-IV) constituency of the Darel district.
