PM Imran Khan okays names for GB CM, cabinet members

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved the nomination of Advocate Khalid Khursheed as the next Chief Minister of the Gilgit Baltistan region, ARY NEWS reported.

The name was finalized after Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI leader Saifullah Niazi met with the prime minister on Friday, where the three also discussed the names of the cabinet members of the next government in the Gilgit Baltistan.

Besides nominating Advocate Khalid Khursheed as the chief minister, the meeting also named Fateh Ullah Khan for the portfolio of Planning and development and information.

The meeting headed by the Prime Minister Imran Khan also finalized names for other cabinet members including Saleem for works ministry, Raja Zakria for wildlife department, Azam Khan for education Gulber Khan for health and Shams ul Haq Loan for food department.

Besides this, Mushtaq Hussain would get the portfolio of Water and Power while Haji Abdul Hameed and Raja Nasir Abbas would be given the portfolios of agriculture and tourism respectively.

The prime minister also lauded Ali Amin Gandapur for his performance during the elections for Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday clinched both speaker and deputy speaker seats in the Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA).

According to the details, PTI’s Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi was elected as Speaker of Gilgit Baltistan Assembly.  He secured 18 votes while the joint opposition’s candidate Ghulam Muhammad got only 8 votes.

Later, out-going Speaker Fida Muhammad Nashad administered the oath to the newly elected speaker.

Meanwhile, PTI’s Nazir Ahmed was elected as Deputy Speaker of Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly today. He secured 22 votes while the joint opposition’s nominated candidate received only nine votes.