Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif announced Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani as the party’s nominee for the prime ministership of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Thursday. Gilani was instructed to file his nomination papers for the upcoming AJK prime minister election, confirming the party’s confidence in his leadership.
Gilani secured his position in the AJK Legislative Assembly through the reserved technocrat seat, as the PML-N claimed six out of eight reserved seats, further consolidating its majority in the assembly. These eight reserved seats comprised five for women, one each for technocrats, Ulema and Mashaikh, and overseas Kashmiris.
The PML-N won three of the five women’s seats alongside the technocrat, Ulema and Mashaikh, and overseas Kashmiri seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) captured the remaining two women’s seats. PML-N representatives Seharish Qamar, Maryam Zaman, and Maryam Idrees were elected on the women’s reserved seats, whereas PPP’s Farzana Yaqub and Zobia Khurshid secured the other two. Notably, in a closely contested election, Zobia Khurshid and Rifat Abid each received five votes, with Khurshid ultimately declared victorious by a draw.
Along with Gilani’s success on the technocrat seat, PML-N’s Pir Mazhar Saeed Shah won the reserved seat for Ulema and Mashaikh, and Abdul Rehman Arain was elected for the overseas Kashmiris seat. These victories brought the PML-N’s total strength in the AJK Legislative Assembly to 31 seats, while the PPP’s count rose to 14. With additional support from a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu (JK ADB), the PML-N’s backing increased to 32 members.
Meanwhile, the government formation is still underway as elections remain pending in seven constituencies across Poonch and Sudhnoti districts. Earlier, the PML-N emerged as the largest party in the recently concluded three-phase general elections, winning 25 seats compared to the PPP’s 11.
The first phase, held in 13 Mirpur Division constituencies, saw the PML-N secure nine seats, while the PPP obtained four. The PML-N further improved its position in the second phase on August 2, which included eight Muzaffarabad Division constituencies and all 12 refugee constituencies, winning 15 seats to the PPP’s six. The final phase involved two constituencies, each won by the PML-N and PPP respectively, finalizing the general-election tallies at 25 and 11 seats.
However, the elections were marred by allegations of rigging from the PPP, which challenged the integrity of the polling process. Following the second phase, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari criticized the federal government and vowed to escalate political opposition efforts. The PML-N dismissed these accusations, while Nawaz Sharif urged political actors to avoid escalating rivalries into hostility, expressing concern over the tense political climate in the region.
