GILGIT : PTI’s Syed Amjad Ali has been elected as the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly’s Deputy Speaker after securing 18 votes.

The outgoing speaker, Fida Muhammad Nashad, announcing the results said that joint opposition’s candidate Ghulam Mohammad secured eight votes.

The polling was being conducted via secret balloting and the result.

Outgoing speaker Nashad has administered the oath to newly elected speaker Amjad Ali.

On Wednesday, a few newly elected members of the GB Legislative Assembly took their oath. Today, PTI member retired Col Ubaidullah Baig from Hunza took oath as he was unable to attend yesterday’s assembly session.

Meanwhile, PTI has nominated Nazir Ahmed for deputy speaker.

The united opposition parties, including the PPP, PML-N and JUI-F, have nominated Rehmat Khaliq for deputy speaker.

PTI has secured 22 out of the 33 seats in the assembly.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly consists of 33 seats — 24 of which are contested through direct elections. The remaining nine are reserved seats — six for women and three for technocrats and professionals.