PPP's Amjad Hussain sworn in as Gilgit-Baltistan CM

ISLAMABAD, Jul 6: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Amjad Hussain was sworn in as the so-called chief minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Gilgit-Baltistan region on Monday.

Hussain, a lawyer by profession, was elected for the role on June 22 after his party emerged as the largest party with 12 seats in the so-called assembly out of 24 contested constituencies.

Earlier, the PPP had announced that it would form a government with the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), but the latter decided to sit on the opposition benches.

The so-called assembly has a total of 33 seats. The elections were held on June 7 to elect 24 members through direct elections. Another eight seats are reserved for women, technocrats and professionals.

India had lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the elections to the so-called Gilgit-Baltistan assembly, maintaining that the region is Indian territory that has been "illegally and forcibly" occupied.

India reiterated its well-known position that the entire Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the so-called 'Gilgit-Baltistan' are integral and inalienable parts of India as a result of "complete, legal and irrevocable accession" of Jammu and Kashmir to India in 1947. (PTI(