The big update today is that G-B Election Day Set for January 24 After Presidential Approval has finally been confirmed. President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the schedule for the general election in Gilgit-Baltistan, and the date is officially locked for January 24. The recommendation came from Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shehbaz Khan, who sent the proposal as required under the constitution, since elections have to be held within 60 days. Now the president has given the final go-ahead, so the process is moving ahead without any delay.
Just last month, the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly completed its five-year constitutional term and stood dissolved. After that, Justice retired Yar Muhammad Khan stepped in as the caretaker chief minister. The prime minister, acting as Chairman of the GB Council, had already approved his appointment earlier, and the Cabinet Division issued the official notification. The caretaker setup is now responsible for running things until the election, and the polls will be held under the federal Election Act 2017. Once the previous government’s term ended at midnight, all administrative responsibilities were smoothly shifted to the interim administration.
Meanwhile, the Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission has also rolled out the entire schedule for the 2026 general election. Nomination papers will be accepted from December 15 to 22, and the initial list of candidates will be made public on December 23. Scrutiny will wrap up on December 30, and any appeals can be filed until January 3. The appellate tribunal will make its decisions by January 10, and a revised list will come out the next day. Candidates who wish to withdraw will still have time, and the final list will be issued on January 12, followed by the allotment of election symbols on January 13.
To make sure the election runs without issues, the commission has appointed District Returning Officers across all districts. Some of the key names include Ameer Hamza in Gilgit, Khurshid Ahmed in Skardu, Suhail Ahmed Khan in Diamer, Luqman Hakeem in Ghazir, Minhaj Ali Raja in Astore, Nizamuddin in Hunza, Munhas Hussain in Nagar, Muhammad Ishaq in Ghanche, Muhammad Sharif in Kharmang, and Manzoor Hussain in Shigar. The commission has said that everything will be done in a transparent and organised way, and preparations across all districts have been stepped up to make sure the election day goes smoothly.