Gilgit-Baltistan elections rescheduled for June 7 after weather-induced delay

GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission on Saturday announced that general elections in the region will now be held on June 7, following a four-month postponement caused by severe winter conditions.

The polls for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly were initially slated for January 24, 2026, but were indefinitely delayed shortly after the announcement due to extreme weather that left several areas inaccessible.

In an official notification, the Election Commission Secretariat confirmed the new polling date. Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan also verified the development, stating that preparations for the elections are complete. He added that the schedule for local government elections would be issued separately and conducted after the general polls.

Local government elections, which were announced after a gap of two decades, had earlier been planned for February 14, 2026.

Earlier this month, Khan noted that while preparations were underway, a final date had yet to be determined. Political parties had widely opposed holding elections in January or February due to heavy snowfall, which cuts off many parts of the region.

While there had been uncertainty over whether elections could be held before June, political stakeholders were concerned that any delay beyond early summer could push the process to September or October. Parties also ruled out conducting polls during religious periods such as Muharram, expected to begin around mid-June, or Chehlum.

The last GB Assembly elections were held on November 15, 2020, across 24 constituencies. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf formed the government, with Khalid Khurshid elected as chief minister.

However, in July 2023, the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court disqualified Khurshid, leading to the formation of a coalition government comprising dissident PTI members, the Pakistan Peoples Party, and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The alliance subsequently elected Haji Gulbar Khan as chief minister.

The assembly completed its five-year tenure on November 24, 2025. On the same day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his capacity as GB Council chairman, appointed retired Justice Yar Muhammad as caretaker chief minister under Article 48-A(2) of the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2018.

Under the 2018 legal framework, elections are required to be held within 60 days of the assembly completing its term. Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari had announced January 24 as the polling date, and the Election Commission had issued schedules for both general and local government elections.

However, following consultations with political parties, the commission postponed the polls on December 18 due to adverse weather, indicating that revised dates would be announced once conditions improved.