President Asif Ali Zardari has announced January 24, 2026, as the polling date for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections. However, government insiders say the elections will likely be pushed to June or July because extreme winter conditions may make voting difficult across the mountainous region.
According to the official notification issued under Article 48-A(1) of the Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018 and Section 57(1) of the Election Act 2017, the election date has been formally set. Officials explained that the President’s approval was a required legal step requested by the chief election commissioner (CEC) to complete the initial procedure before any new schedule could be announced.
Sources say the CEC is expected to release a revised polling date soon, keeping in view the weather situation.
The caretaker setup in Gilgit-Baltistan was sworn in on November 25 after the five-year term of the Gulbar Khan government ended. Justice (Retired) Yar Mohammad took oath as the caretaker chief minister. As per law, the Election Commission of Pakistan must conduct elections within 60 days of the caretaker government’s formation.
Meanwhile, the interim cabinet of Gilgit-Baltistan has not yet been notified, adding to administrative delays.
