Election for the slot of leader of the house for the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly (GBLA) will take place amid reports that Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman from PML-N and Muhammad Ali Sheikh from Islami Tehrik Pakistan (ITP) are the contenders for this position.
Sources said PML-N enjoys two thirds majority in GBLA with 22 seats in its basket. Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif has nominated Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman for the position of Chief Minister (CM). PM will attend the oath taking ceremony of chief minister Gilgit-Baltistan.
Sources said election for opposition leader will also be held besides leader of the house. Consultation process is underway among opposition parties including ITP, PPP, Majlis-e- Wahdat-ul- Muslimin (MWM), PTI and Naji group on this count. PPP with its solitary seat in the assembly is aspiring for the slot of opposition leader. But ITP with 4 seats in assembly enjoys numerical superiority among other opposition parties in assembly. It enjoys unannounced support from 3 legislators as well.
Capt (Retd) Sikandar and Muhammad Ali Sheikh from ITP are being named for the position of opposition leader but Capt (Retd) Sikandar position is stronger than Sheikh.
33-member GBLA has taken oath and Fida Nashad and Jafar Ullah Khan from PML-N have been elected unopposed as speaker and deputy speaker respectively.