Islamabad, December 12, 2025: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday approved the schedule for the upcoming general elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, paving the way for the region to elect a new legislative assembly early next year.
According to an official notification, elections for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly will be held on January 24, 2026.
Following the president’s approval, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Abid Ali said the Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan (ECGB) would soon issue a detailed election schedule. He also announced that the commission will convene an all-parties conference to hold consultations with political stakeholders ahead of the polls.
The GB Assembly was dissolved on November 24 after completing its five-year constitutional term, resulting in the dissolution of Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan’s cabinet. Subsequently, Justice (retd) Yar Muhammad Nasir, a former judge of the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court, was sworn in as the caretaker chief minister to oversee the electoral process.
Gilgit-Baltistan last went to the polls in November 2020, when elections were held across 24 constituencies. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the single largest party and formed the government, with Khalid Khurshid elected as chief minister.
However, in July 2023, the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court disqualified Khurshid over a degree-related case. Following his removal, a coalition government comprising members of the PTI’s disgruntled faction, the PPP, and the PML-N elected Haji Gulbar Khan as the new chief minister.
The upcoming 2026 elections are expected to be closely contested, with major political parties gearing up for an active campaign once the ECGB releases the full schedule.
