Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly passes local Government ...

Summary

• GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan has moved closer to holding local government elections for the first time in more than two decades after the regional assembly passed an amended Local Government Act 2026, potentially ending a prolonged political and administrative deadlock over the polls.
• The dispute intensified after Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan scheduled local government elections for August 2 without consulting Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Advocate.
• The chief minister insisted that the polls should be held under the new 2026 law, while the election commissioner intended to use the previous 2014 legislation.

AI Generated Summary

GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan has moved closer to holding local government elections for the first time in more than two decades after the regional assembly passed an amended Local Government Act 2026, potentially ending a prolonged political and administrative deadlock over the polls.

The legislation was approved by a majority vote during Wednesday’s assembly session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Malik Kifayatur Rehman. The bill now awaits the governor’s assent, after which authorities are expected to announce a new election date.

The assembly had previously passed the legislation, but Governor Syed Mehdi Shah returned it for reconsideration after raising objections to several provisions. Local Bodies Minister Zulfiqar Ali Murad reintroduced the amended draft after the provincial cabinet approved revisions addressing the governor’s concerns.