Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Amjad Hussain was sworn in as the fifth chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan after his party secured the largest share of seats in the 2026 regional elections.
Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Syed Mehdi Shah administered the oath on Monday at a ceremony held at the historic Chinar Bagh in Gilgit, attended by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, senior party leaders, government officials, elected representatives and supporters.
Hussain, who was elected unopposed after no other candidate filed nomination papers for the top office, outlined an agenda focused on transparent governance, merit-based recruitment, institutional reforms and faster development.
He announced daily monitoring of under-construction hydropower projects to ensure their timely completion, saying that improved electricity supply remained a priority. He also said revenue collection would be strengthened, urging consumers to pay electricity bills to ensure the sustainability of the power sector.
The chief minister pledged to introduce e-governance to improve transparency and public service delivery, while announcing an immediate halt to police recruitment under the existing system until a new transparent recruitment mechanism is introduced. He also promised to create 8,000 jobs across different sectors for young people.
Addressing the ceremony, Hussain thanked voters for giving the PPP a strong mandate in the June 7 elections, highlighting the role played by young people and women. He said the party had secured a historic victory in Diamer and expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership for supporting the formation of the PPP-led government despite the party not being in power at the Centre.
Bilawal announced that local government elections in Gilgit-Baltistan would be held before winter. He said the regional government should represent both winners and losers, while criticising confrontational politics.
