GILGIT: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday approved a summary for holding elections to the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly on June 8.

An official of GB Council told Dawn that the region’s caretaker government had forwarded summary to the prime minister, who is chairman of the council, recommending June 8 as the date for the elections to GBLA.

After approval of the summary, the GB Council secretariat formally notified the election date.

The GB Election Commission would announce poll schedule within 72 hours after notification of the election date, said the official.

The official said that GBLA had completed its five year tenure on December 10, last year.

PM Sharif had announced caretaker government for three months, from December 10, 2014 to March 3, 2015. However, later the caretaker setup was extended for three more months till May 9. Elections couldn’t be held in the mandated three months after the GBLA tenure ended due to harsh winter.

Meanwhile, talking to Dawn, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Syed Tahir Ali Shah said that the commission had made all preparations for holding the polls on June 8. He said that election schedule would be announced within a few days.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play