Shehbaz Orders Early Finish to GB 100MW Solar Project
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the early finish of the GB 100MW solar project and faster work on all federal development projects in Gilgit-Baltistan. He gave the directions on Friday while chairing a meeting in Islamabad to review progress on projects in the region. Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain attended the meeting as a special participant.
“The prime minister directed the earliest possible completion of the 100-megawatt solar power project launched by the federal government for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan,” the Prime Minister’s Office said after the meeting. The prime minister also directed ministries and departments to speed up ongoing projects, release funds on time, and remove obstacles to completion on a priority basis.
The meeting reviewed a report by a committee set up in July 2026 on the prime minister’s directions. The report examined the status of ongoing federal projects in Gilgit-Baltistan, the obstacles slowing them down, and the steps needed to finish them. Progress on hydropower, infrastructure and solar energy projects came under review, along with the completion of the Naltar Power Project, stronger counterterrorism capabilities and new digital infrastructure.
GB 100MW solar project: what it covers
The GB 100MW solar project is a federal scheme to give Gilgit-Baltistan affordable and sustainable electricity. It was formally launched on May 7, 2026, with the aim of supplying clean power to around 1.3 million people and cutting the region’s longstanding power shortages. The scheme combines utility-scale solar plants, rooftop systems, battery storage and free solar panel distribution.
The project has two main parts. An 18MW component covers solarisation of government buildings across the region. The larger part is an 82MW programme for households in Gilgit, Skardu, Chilas and Khaplu, linked to 52 hydropower stations and a 66.1 megawatt-hour battery storage system to keep power flowing at night. The rooftop work is scheduled for completion by December 2026, while the utility-scale solar clusters are expected to become operational by December 2027.
That timetable explains the prime minister’s push. Gilgit-Baltistan sits at the end of a long and fragile transmission line, and families in Hunza, Skardu, Ghizer and Diamer face regular shortages. A publicly financed solar programme that reaches lower-income households would rank among the most far-reaching energy steps the federal government has taken in the region in a decade.
A visit timed to November 1
The meeting also paid tribute to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan ahead of November 1. The date marks their liberation from Dogra rule in 1947 and the region’s subsequent accession to Pakistan. The prime minister is expected to visit Gilgit-Baltistan on November 1 to mark the occasion, which gives the directions a public deadline of sorts.
Shehbaz Sharif told officials to strengthen coordination among institutions so that work moves faster. He ordered regular monitoring of development projects, particularly energy projects, so that people benefit from them at the earliest. He also stressed that the development of Gilgit-Baltistan, the provision of basic facilities and the improvement of people’s quality of life remain among the federal government’s priorities.
The directions fit a wider pattern in the region. Gilgit-Baltistan recently ran a subsidised wheat seed scheme for farmers, while the PPP has pressed for provincial status for the region and the chief minister has called mines and minerals a provincial subject. Energy, however, remains the most immediate need, since power shortages touch homes, hospitals, schools and businesses alike.
The solar scheme also sits inside a broader energy debate. A relief scheme for consumers using up to 250 units has been part of recent power policy, and solar and storage options are drawing fresh attention across the country. For Gilgit-Baltistan, the question now is delivery: whether panels, batteries and grid links arrive on the schedule the prime minister has set, and whether the benefits reach households in the valleys that need them most.
What happens next
Frequently asked questions
What is the GB 100MW solar project?
It is a federal solar scheme for Gilgit-Baltistan, combining an 18MW government-buildings component with an 82MW household programme, plus battery storage.
How many people will it serve?
The scheme aims to supply affordable electricity to around 1.3 million people in Gilgit-Baltistan.
When is it due to finish?
Rooftop solar work is scheduled for completion by December 2026, and the utility-scale solar clusters are expected to become operational by December 2027.
Why did the prime minister raise it now?
He reviewed all federal projects in the region on Friday and ordered the earliest possible completion of the solar scheme, ahead of his November 1 visit.
What else did the meeting cover?
It reviewed the Naltar Power Project, counterterrorism capabilities, digital infrastructure and the timely release of funds for ongoing projects.
