GILGIT: Pakistan Muslim League-N’s Hafeezur Rehman on Friday took oath as chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan. 

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Governor House in Gilgit and Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Barjees Tahir administered the oath to Mr Rehman, who is also the PML-N Gilgit-Baltistan chapter president.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif could not attend the oath-taking ceremony as he could not travel to the region due to bad weather.

The prime minister congratulated the new Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly Speaker Haji Fida Mohammad Naushad and Deputy Speaker Jafar Allah Khan on being elected unopposed.

A reliable PML-N source said the new cabinet would be announced in a few days.

After taking oath, Hafeezur Rahman said his government’s top priority would be to eliminate corruption and uphold merit in the region. “We will work for betterment of people and take opposition along on important issues.”

“I congratulate the winning members and also the caretaker government on holding free and fair elections across the region,” said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Raja Jehanzeb, who won from Ghizer valley.

Jehanzeb was also the unanimous candidate from opposition for the slot of speaker but withdrew in favour of PML-N’s Nashad, paving the way for his unopposed election. He is the only PTI member in the 33-member assembly. His comments contradicted claims made by PTI chief Imran Khan who accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of rigging elections in GB.

Like Jehanzeb, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen lawmaker Kacho Imtiaz was running for deputy speaker slot but withdrew in favour of Jafarullah.

The former speaker, Wazir Baig, vacated his seat and left the house after announcing Nashad as the speaker of the assembly.

As the new lawmakers were given time to speak, Nawaz Khan Naji, an independent lawmaker, hoped the speaker would act “not as a mouthpiece for the government” like the former speaker during the previous government. Mr Naji, one of three lawmakers who was re-elected, termed the June 8 polls free and fair and hoped the new government would work for welfare of the people.

He criticised the former government of Pakistan People’s Party, in which he was an opposition member, for perpetrating corruption in the region. “The present government is expected to not repeat the mistakes of the previous government.”

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2015

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