Shehbaz Sharif pushes speedy rollout of federal projects in disputed Gilgit‑Baltistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a fast‑track of all federal development projects in the disputed Gilgit‑Baltistan region. He gave the directions while chairing a progress review meeting in Islamabad on Friday, October 30, 2026. Gilgit‑Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain sat alongside him at the meeting. Sharif told officials to clear every bottleneck that slows the work and to improve coordination among agencies. The discussion covered hydropower, infrastructure and solar energy schemes. He asked for the 100‑megawatt solar power project, launched by the federal government, to be finished as soon as possible. The China‑funded Naltar power project and plans for new digital infrastructure were also on the agenda. Sharif stressed regular monitoring, especially of energy‑related projects. A committee report prepared in July, which examined project status and hurdles, was presented at the session. Radio Pakistan reported that the prime minister is likely to travel to Gilgit‑Baltistan on November 1, 2026, to inspect the work. The push for development matters to India because it sees Gilgit‑Baltistan as part of the illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir and opposes any China‑Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects that run through the area. New Delhi has repeatedly asked Islamabad to withdraw from the territory. ## Context Gilgit‑Baltistan lies in northern Pakistan near the China border and forms a key stretch of the CPEC route that links China’s Xinjiang region with Pakistan’s Gwadar port. India claims the region as part of its union territories, so development moves by Pakistan are seen as reinforcing its control over a disputed area.