Members of the caretaker cabinet of Gilgit Baltistan are set to take oath today. The ceremony will formally mark the beginning of the interim government in the region. This development comes five weeks after the appointment of the caretaker chief minister.
The oath-taking ceremony will be held at 11am today. The venue will be the Governor’s House in Gilgit. Speaker of the Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly, Nazir Ahmed Advocate, will administer the oath to the ministers and advisers.
The caretaker setup will remain in place until a new elected government is formed after the upcoming GB Assembly elections.
Composition of the Caretaker Cabinet
The caretaker cabinet consists of 14 members. It includes 12 ministers and two advisers. One woman is also part of the interim cabinet. The inclusion aims to ensure broader representation during the caretaker period.
Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Yar Mohammad had taken oath on November 26 last year. However, the announcement of his cabinet was delayed. The caretaker cabinet was finally notified on January 2.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif approved the cabinet in his capacity as chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council. The appointments were made on the advice of the caretaker chief minister. The delay lasted one month and seven days after the chief minister’s oath.
Portfolios Assigned to Ministers and Advisers
According to the official notification, Colonel (retd) Abrar Ismail has been given key portfolios. He will oversee finance, planning, and development. Engineer Altaf Hussain has been assigned local government and rural development.
Mehrdad has been appointed as minister for food. Maulana Sarwar Shah will manage minerals and industries. Maulana Sharafat Din has been given forests, wildlife, and environment.
Syed Adeel Shah will oversee sports, culture, and youth affairs. Engineer Mumtaz Hussain has been appointed minister for water and power. Bahadur Ali will handle education and law.
Dr Niaz Ali has been assigned the health ministry. Raja Shahbaz Khan will manage tourism, excise and taxation, and works and communications. Syeda Fatima has been given social welfare, population welfare, and women development.
Abdul Hakeem will oversee agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and water management. The advisers will support the cabinet in administrative and policy matters.
Political Background and Transition to Caretaker Rule
The GB government was formally de-notified on November 24 last year. This followed the completion of the Gilgit Baltistan Assembly’s five-year term. The assembly held its final session shortly before dissolution.
During the last session, members from treasury and opposition benches shared reflections. They discussed achievements and challenges faced during their tenure.
The last GB Assembly elections were held on November 15, 2020. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf formed the government. Khalid Khurshid was elected chief minister. However, he was disqualified by the GB Chief Court in July 2023.
After his removal, a coalition government was formed. It included members from a PTI dissident group, PPP, and PML-N. Haji Gulbar Khan was elected chief minister under this arrangement.
The caretaker cabinet will now oversee administrative affairs. Its role is to ensure neutrality and continuity until fresh elections are held.
