GB elects its first female deputy speaker

• Sadia Danish's nomination backed by PTI forward bloc.
• Speaker Nazeer Advocate administers her oath.
• PTI didn't submit nomination papers for slot.

Gilgit-Baltistan witnessed a wave of change in its legislature as its first female deputy speaker was elected unopposed Monday.

Sadia Danish, a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and nominee of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), assumed the position following consensus among her party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) forward bloc, which supported her nomination.

The process of electing the GB assembly's deputy speaking concluded on Monday after Danish was elected unopposed. She later took the oath of the office, administered by Speaker Nazeer Advocate, who presided over the assembly's 22nd session.

The PTI, on the other hand, did not submit nomination papers for the spot. They had earlier removed its speaker by bringing a no-confidence motion against him and made its deputy speaker as speaker of the GB assembly.

The assembly's session, ahead of the landmark development, was presided over by the speaker.

Danish was a member of the GB legislative assembly from 2009 to 2014 and was also part of the GB cabinet.

She was also a former minister for information, tourism, sports and culture. She was also the PPP's secretary of information and a member of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW).

Gul Bar Khan — new GB CM 

Last week, PTI forward bloc leader Gul Bar Khan was elected as GB's new chief minister, days after controversy marred the top post's polls.

Khan, who received 19 votes of the 20 members present in the house, was elected unopposed as three other candidates vying for the post withdrew their nomination papers.

An independent lawmaker, Nawaz Khan Naji, abstained from voting, with PPP and PML-N parliamentarians backing the new chief minister.

All 11 members of the PTI's 'like-minded group' boycotted the polling, claiming rigging.