PML-N's Barrister Iftikhar Ali Gillani Elected Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani has been elected as the new prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), securing a decisive victory with 30 out of 44 votes cast. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate defeated his rival, Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Abbasi of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), who garnered 14 votes.

The election took place in the AJK Assembly, which has a total of 53 members, though its current strength is 46 due to pending elections in seven seats. On Friday, 44 votes were polled, as the speaker abstained from voting and PML-N regional president Shah Ghulam Qadir was absent.

Gillani's selection followed a decision announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after a late-night meeting with senior PML-N leaders from AJK. The meeting, held at the Prime Minister's House, included key party figures like AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir and former AJK premier Raja Farooq Haider. Prime Minister Sharif conveyed that party supremo Nawaz Sharif had chosen Gillani as the candidate for the premiership.

However, the nomination triggered a sharp reaction from Qadir and Haider, who reportedly voiced their disagreement and initially announced they would not participate in the election. Ultimately, only Qadir did not participate. Speculation about Gillani's potential appointment had been circulating since his election to the assembly on a reserved seat on August 24. The party's regional leadership had anticipated a repeat of the 2016 formula, which saw Haider elevated to the premiership.

Following the dissent, aides to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held further discussions with Qadir and Haider, but these meetings reportedly remained inconclusive. Qadir later posted on X, assuring the people of Azad Kashmir that he would uphold their honor and dignity, referencing Nawaz Sharif's slogan of "giving respect to the vote."

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Nawaz Sharif’s slogan of giving respect to the vote will be ensured.