GILGIT: A 14-member cabinet of Gilgit-Baltistan government was sworn in at a ceremony held in Governor Secretariat in Gilgit on Tuesday.

Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah administered the oath to newly appointed ministers.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Gulbar Khan, GB assembly members, Chief Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan, senior officials and political workers participated in the ceremony.

Haji Gulbar Khan, an estranged PTI member, was elected as chief minister on July 13, with the support of PPP,

PML-N and JUI-F, a week after PTI’s Khalid Khurshid was disqualified in a fake degree case.

On Monday night, GB Governor on the recommendation of the chief minister notified 14 ministers appointment in exercise of powers conferred by Article-38(1) of the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Two ministers has been chosen from Pakistan People’s Party, two from

Pakistan Muslim League (N), one from Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and seven ministers and two advisers were chosen from Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf forward bloc.

The cabinet include Haji Abdul Hameed Senior Minister for local government, Syed Amjad Zaidi Senior Minister for Works, Eng. Mohammad Ismail , Senior Minister for Finance, Ghulam Mohammad Senior Minister for Tourism and Food, Mushtaq Hussain Minister for Power, Shams Lone Minister for Interior , Syed Suhail Abbas Minister for Health, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Fatehullah Khan Minister for Planning and Development and Irrigation, Rehmat Khaliq Minister for E T, Zakat and Ushr, Engineer Mohammad Anwar

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock and Fisheries, Ghulam Shehzad Agha Minister for Education), and Dilshad Bano Minister for Women Development and Social Welfare.

Two advisers equal to ministers have also been appointed.

Haji Shah Baig has been appointed adviser to Chief Minister on Forest,

Wildlife and Environment and Surya Zaman adviser to Chief Minister on Information Technology.

Talking to mediapersons after oath taking ceremony GB ministers vowed to work for development, peace and prosperity of the region.

Surya Zaman adviser to chief minister on Information Technology told Dawn that she would work to promote IT sector in the region through reforms. She said IT is new department in GB, she will try to strengthen the sector.

Finance Minister Mohammad Ismail said he had many challenges to deal in this department.

“GB has been facing Rs18 billion budget deficit.” he said adding with help of federal government, they will overcome the financial difficulties of GB government. Rehmat Khaliq Minister for Zakat and Ushr said as team members of new chief minister Gulbar Khan, they will try to solve GB issues.

Mohammad Anwar Minister for Agriculture and Livestock said first they will get departmental briefing then will set priorities to solve issues.

Ghulam Mohammad Senior Minister for Tourism said GB had huge potential in tourism, which would be explored.

He vowed to work for development of tourism sector.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2023