Iftikhar Gilani Elected as 17th Prime Minister of AJK

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Iftikhar Gilani was elected the 17th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday.

Gilani secured 30 votes in the AJK Legislative Assembly, defeating Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Sardar Mukhtar Khan, who received 14 votes.

Gilani was first elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly in 2011 and has also served as the AJK education minister.

He was elected to the assembly on a reserved seat for technocrats.

On Thursday, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif nominated Barrister Gilani as the party’s candidate for the AJK premiership.

The AJK Legislative Assembly has 53 seats, but its current strength is 46 because elections for seven seats in the Poonch and Sudhnoti districts are still pending.

The PML-N currently has the support of 32 members in the assembly, including its ally, the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu (JK ADB). The PPP has 14 members.

Gilani’s election gives the PML-N the opportunity to lead the AJK government and focus on governance and development in the region.