President Zardari approves schedule for Gilgit Baltistan election 2026
Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari approves Gilgit Baltistan election schedule for January 24, 2026; election commission to issue details as caretaker setup oversees transition after assembly dissolution.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday approved the schedule for the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan general elections, according to an official notification.
The notification confirmed that polling for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly will be held on January 24, 2026.
Following the president’s approval, Chief Election Commissioner Abid Ali stated that the Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan will soon issue a detailed election schedule. He added that the commission plans to convene an all-parties conference to hold consultations with political stakeholders.
The previous GB Assembly completed its five-year tenure and was dissolved on November 24, resulting in the dissolution of Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan and his cabinet. Subsequently, Justice (retd) Yar Muhammad Nasir, former judge of the GB Chief Court, took oath as the region’s caretaker chief minister.
The last elections for the GB Assembly were held in November 2020, across 24 constituencies. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) formed the government with Khalid Khurshid as chief minister.
However, in July 2023, the GB Chief Court disqualified Khurshid. Following his ouster, a coalition of the PTI’s disgruntled group, the PPP, and the PML-N formed a new government and elected Haji Gulbar Khan as chief minister.
