Gilgit-Baltistan | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Four PTI leaders, including the party’s general secretary, were expelled from Gilgit-Baltistan while local leaders were detained on Tuesday. General elections in GB are scheduled for Sunday (June 7), after a four-month delay attributed to harsh winter weather. According to the PTI leadership, the party is not being allowed to campaign in the upcoming elections. “Today, upon entering Gilgit-Baltistan, I, along with Shaukat Basra, Naeem Panjutha, and Zaheer Babar, was stopped by the police within the jurisdiction of Jal Police Station and prevented from proceeding further,” PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja claimed in a post on X. “The DSP informed us that my name had been specifically listed in their records. We and our colleagues from the Insaf Student Federation (ISF) were subsequently surrounded by police vehicles and forcibly escorted out of the province,” claimed the PTI general secretary. Raja said that these actions “represent an attempt to restrict our constitutional right to free move...

Political bigwigs on Tuesday sought to garner public support in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) as PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari addressed rallies ahead of the June 7 elections. General elections in GB are scheduled for Sunday, after a four-month delay attributed to harsh winter weather. Addressing a public gathering in Skardu, where First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari was also present, Bilawal called for greater rights for the people of GB. “I have to struggle along with GB’s new generation […] If we have to implement the manifesto of roti, kapra, makaan in its true sense, then we will have to work on three rules — we will have to attain the right to haq-i-hakimiyat (right to govern), haq-i-malkiyat (right to ownership), and haq-i-rozgaar (right to employment),” Bilawal said. He further said, “The struggle of PPP’s new generation will be to get you your right to govern, and that will happen when GB will get the protections, facilities and powers provided in the 18th Amendment.” “Aft...

Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday pledged to continue supporting development initiatives in Gilgit-Baltistan, promising infrastructure improvements, youth empowerment programmes and closer federal attention to the region.

LAHORE: Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will visit Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday to meet party ticket holders ahead of the June 7 elections. The GB Election Commission had announced that general elections in the region would be held on June 7 after a four-month delay. On Monday, Punjab Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said on X that the PML-N president will visit GB on Tuesday for a one-day visit. During the visit, he will meet party leaders and ticket-holders. “He will also discuss the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and matters related to the development and welfare of the people of the region,” she said. Nawaz has not been active in politics since the February 2024 general elections. However, he is serving as head of the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival. The former prime minister often presides over its meetings and oversees measures for the protection of the city’s heritage. The PML-N supremo also acts as a political mentor to his daughter and Punjab Chief Ministe...

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) permitting Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif to visit Gilgit-Baltistan for election campaign activities.

The Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) allowing Nawaz Sharif to visit Gilgit-Baltistan for election campaign activities ahead of the upcoming regional polls.

Mohsin Naqvi called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore on Monday and discussed the overall law and order situation in the country, with a focus on security arrangements for Eid-ul-Adha and the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Junaid Akbar Khan was taken into custody by authorities during an election campaign visit to Gilgit-Baltistan ahead of the regional polls.

Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan V reached Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday where he is expected to attend public gatherings and address different ceremonies. Prince Rahim arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for a week-long visit — his first to the country since being named the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community last year. State broadcasters PTV News and Radio Pakistan reported that he was welcomed by caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Yar Muhammad and other senior civil and military officials at the airport in Gilgit. Meanwhile, banners and messages welcoming Prince Rahim were put up at different spots in the city, PTV News reported. @dawn.today Prince Rahim Aga Khan arrived in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday. Prior to his arrival, preparations in GB reached a fever pitch, prompting a large-scale mobilisation of federal and regional resources, officials said. Officials anticipate large gatherings in the Passu Cones area of Hunza; Gilgit City, Gahkuch Bala, and Taus Yasin. The administration is considering hol...

GILGIT: Preparations for a visit by Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, have reached fever pitch, prompting a large-scale mobilisation of federal and regional resources in Gilgit-Baltistan, officials said on Friday. Authorities have been directed to complete all arrangements for the visit, scheduled for May 21-25. Prince Rahim will be accorded the status of a state guest as he visits GB areas, attends public gatherings, and addresses different ceremonies. The plans were reviewed on Friday at a meeting, where Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Amir Muqam, was briefed on the details. Officials anticipate large gatherings in the Passu Cones area of Hunza; Gilgit City, Gahkuch Bala, and Taus Yasin. The administration is considering holding multiple sessions at certain venues to manage the expected crowds, officials told the minister. For security and travel, the federal government has been requested to provide a bulletproof vehicle. Recommendations were also mad...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued an alert for glacial lake outburst floods (Glof) for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, it emerged on Monday. According to the alert issued by the PMD on Sunday night, a moderate westerly wave was expected to enter the upper regions of the country. It said that the weather system was expected to hit KP and extend to Gilgit-Baltistan by Monday. During this period, the department predicted widespread rain and wind-thunderstorms, with isolated heavy falls in mountainous catchments. “The weather patterns significantly elevated the risk of Glofs, debris flow, and flash flooding in vulnerable areas, especially in Swat, lower Chitral, Dir, Upper Hazara, Kohistan, Hoper, Ghulkin, Shishper, Ghizer, Hunza, Nagar, Ghanche, Shigar and Astore,” it said The Met department advised people in glacial valleys to avoid proximity to riverbanks and stream beds during the rainfall; monitor local nullahs for sudden changes in water colour (muddiness) or unusual sounds (g...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated and performed groundbreaking ceremonies of several development projects during his visit to Gilgit-Baltistan, saying he was delighted to visit one of the country’s most beautiful regions and meet talented students.

ISLAMABAD: The path for the launch of 5G in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) has been cleared as policy directives for trials have been approved, with four telecommunication operations expected to begin testing soon. The GB Council, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has approved the summary to launch 5G test trials in the region; the approval is expected to be received by the telecom sector regulator in the coming week. GB Caretaker Information Technology Minister Ghulam Abbas said the council’s secretariat had prepared a summary seeking the approval of policy directives for 5G trials. He said that the summary had been endorsed by the ministries of Law and IT. He said that after the prime minister’s approval, the summary will now be sent back to the IT ministry. “The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is the telecom sector regulator. The IT ministry will authorise the PTA to initiate the 5G test trials,” Abbas said. The 5G spectrum auction was held in the country last month on March 10, but GB and Azad J...

The Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan has officially declared June 7, a Sunday, as the date for the upcoming regional elections.

GILGIT: While concerns had been raised about the potential adverse impact of the escalating war in the Middle East and the resulting rise in fuel prices on Gilgit-Baltistan’s tourism and hospitality industry, the situation on the ground suggests otherwise, with a surge in both foreign and domestic tourists. According to officials from the GB tourism department, applications from foreign adventure tourists for climbing and trekking permits have already surpassed last year’s figures. An official told Dawn that the tourism season typically begins in May, although both foreign and domestic visitors also arrive during the blossom season, which peaks towards the end of April. Despite tensions in the wake of the US-Israel war on Iran as well as the fuel price hike, the number of tourists in Skardu has significantly increased since Eidul Fitr. Applications from foreign adventure tourists for climbing and trekking permits has surpassed last year’s figures The official noted that a large number of both foreign and dome...

The Special Communication Organization (SCO) is playing a key role in connecting remote mountainous areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir with modern telecommunication facilities.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), in its February-April weather outlook for northern areas, on Monday warned of a “high probability” of glacial lake outburst flood (Glof) in Gilgit-Baltistan, owing to “sustained above normal” temperatures. Glof refers to the sudden release of water and debris from a glacial lake, leading to the loss of lives, property, and livelihoods in mountain communities. Over 7.1 million people in GB and KP are vulnerable to the phenomenon, according to the Ministry of Climate Change. The PMD, in its outlook, noted that due to reduced rain and “persistent clear-sky conditions”, temperatures across GB and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) from Feb 1 to 22 recorded an increase. “Daytime (maximum) temperatures were recorded 3–5°C above normal, while nighttime (minimum) temperatures remained 1–3.5°C above the 1981–2010 climatological average,” the PMD said, adding that the highest warming was recorded in the regions of Gilgit and Bunji. “Chilas and Bunji have shown notable increases i...

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 jolted parts of Pakistan on Monday, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Peshawar and adjacent areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said. According to PMD, the earthquake struck at 11:21am at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre in Northwestern Kashmir. According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which uses the Moment Magnitude scale, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck northwestern Kashmir at a depth of 31 km. It said that the quake was recorded 58 km north-west of Barishal in Pakistan. Earlier this month, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of the country. Tremors were felt in Islamabad and parts of KP. Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The intersection of multiple fault lines means that tectonic movements remain a frequent occurrence in the region. In October 2025, a 3.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Karachi. A m...

GILGIT: Climate change impacts are becoming increasingly visible in Gilgit-Baltistan, where below-normal snowfall has left much of the region unusually dry this winter. Light snowfall was recorded in parts of Skardu, Kharmang, Shigar, Ghanche, Astore and Ghizer on Friday and Saturday. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast further rain and snowfall in several areas until Jan 23. Officials said Skardu received about two to three inches of snow on Saturday, while parts of Ghizer saw intermittent snowfall over the past two days. Light snow was also reported in Hunza, Nagar and other areas last week, but residents said most valleys remained dry, with mountains largely bare and rocky. Experts warn ‘snow drought’ could worsen flood risk downstream Muhammad Ali Alam, a resident of Skardu, said the region typically received heavy snowfall by mid-January. “The mountains should be snow-clad by now, but the first snow of the season in Skardu and adjoining areas only fell on Friday,” he told Dawn. He s...

Snowfall continued across parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan under the influence of a shallow westerly wave, resulting in extremely cold weather in the region, officials said on Friday.