ISLAMABAD : Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reached out to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and the two leaders have agreed that the single largest party will form the government in Gilgit-Baltistan following the region’s legislative assembly elections.
According to sources, Dar congratulated Bilawal on the PPP’s electoral success. Both sides agreed that the party with the most seats would take the reins of government in Gilgit. Additionally, the leaders pledged to sit together to address outstanding issues facing the Gilgit-Baltistan region.
The understanding comes after unofficial and unconfirmed results from the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections showed the PPP leading the tally. With the assembly comprising 24 members, a party requires 13 seats to form a government.
According to the latest figures, the PPP is leading with 10 seats, while independent candidates have secured 7 seats. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has won 6 seats. The remaining seats are yet to be finalised.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated President Asif Ali Zardari on his party’s victory in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections. In a light-hearted exchange, the Prime Minister smiled and remarked that “young Bilawal ran a better election campaign than us.” Sources quoted President Zardari as replying with a grin, “Whose son is it?” — a nod to Bilawal’s political lineage.
The PPP now appears poised to lead the next government in Gilgit-Baltistan, pending final official results and potential negotiations with independents to reach the majority mark.
