ISLAMABAD: A member of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Khalid Khurshid, was elected chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan for a five-year term on Monday.
PTI, the party of Prime Minister Imran Khan, bagged the most seats in last month’s legislative assembly election in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region.
The GB assembly has 33 seats, 24 of which are contested through directed elections, six are reserved for women and three are reserved for technocrats and professionals.
Parties had campaigned for week for the November 15 polls, with candidates promising to build infrastructure projects and end decades of neglect in a region that has never officially been part of Pakistan, but forms part of the portion of disputed Kashmir that Pakistan controls. Both Delhi and Islamabad have claimed all of Kashmir since gaining independence 73 years ago, and have fought two wars over the territory.
“I’m very thankful to the people of Gilgit Baltistan as they elected me their next CM [chief minister,” Khalid Khurshid said in a tweet.
Khurshid, who has a law degree from England and comes from a well-known political family from Astore district, was elected a member of the Gilgit-Baltistan legislative assembly from the GBLA-13 (Astore-1) constituency.
Opposition parties have cried foul over the election results, saying they were rigged by the ruling PTI party, which is in government in the center. The government has denied this.
According to data from the Gilgit-Baltistan election commission, 745,361 people had registered to vote in the election, of which 339,992 were women. Nearly 1,234 polling stations were set up in 24 constituencies.
PM Khan’s nominee elected chief minister of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region
https://arab.news/j9a9c
PM Khan’s nominee elected chief minister of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region
- Khan’s PTI party bagged the most seats in last month’s legislative assembly election in the northern area
- Khalid Khurshid has a law degree from England, belongs to a well-known political family from Astore district
Pakistan to play India in T20 World Cup, government says
- Islamabad announced boycotting the Feb. 15 match in Colombo to protest the ICC’s exclusion of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup
- Pakistan’s government says the decision to play India is taken to protect ‘spirit of cricket and to support the continuity of global sport’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has cleared the country’s cricket team to play India in the T20 World Cup on Feb. 15, the Pakistani government announced late Monday, ending a week-long standoff.
Islamabad announced boycotting the Feb. 15 match in Colombo to protest the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) exclusion of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup, following Dhaka’s decision to not play matches in India owing to security fears.
On Sunday, ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja arrived in Lahore for talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam as the sport’s governing body strived to save the high-stakes T20 World Cup encounter.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met PM Sharif late Monday and briefed him regarding the outcomes of high-level deliberations held between the PCB, Bangladesh board and ICC representatives, the Pakistani government said on X.
“The Government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan’s leadership in securing a viable solution to recent challenges,” the Pakistani government said.
“In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”
The BCB earlier thanked the PCB, ICC and all others for their positive roles in trying to “overcome recent challenges,” particularly thanking PCB Chairman Naqvi and Pakistani cricket fans for demonstrating “exemplary sportsmanship and solidarity.”
“We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish,” BCB President Islam said in a statement.
“Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem.”
The dispute stemmed from the ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland last month after Bangladesh refused to play tournament matches in India. Dhaka’s decision followed the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was bought for $1 million by the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders, but on Jan. 3 the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ordered Kolkata to release Mustafizur without a public explanation but amid regional tensions.
Pakistani cricket authorities subsequently announced boycotting the match against India at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Feb. 15. An India-Pakistan fixture is the sport’s most lucrative asset, generating a massive share of global broadcasting and sponsorship revenue.
“This decision [to play India in T20 World Cup] has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations,” the Pakistani government said.
“We remain confident that our team will carry the spirit of sportsmanship and national pride onto the field as they compete for global glory.”
