ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s candidate Barrister Iftikhar Gilani has won AJK Prime Minister election today. He received 30 votes to emerge victorious over his rival Sardar Mukhtar Khan received only 14 votes.
PML-N fielded Gilani for the Prime Minister’s position in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The election for new AJK Prime Minister was held today. Iftikhar Gilani was elected the 17th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday, securing 30 votes in the Legislative Assembly.
Gilani defeated Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Sardar Mukhtar Khan, who received 14 votes.
Gilani was first elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly in 2011. He has also served as AJK education minister.
Before election, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House to discuss the formation of the new PML-N government in AJK.
Party leaders held detailed consultations before selecting Gilani as the candidate for the top constitutional office.
The AJK Legislative Assembly will elect the new prime minister on August 28.
PML-N Leaders Discuss Government Formation
Senator Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Saad Rafique and PML-N AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir attended the meeting.
Former AJK prime minister Raja Farooq Haider also participated in the consultations.
Newly elected Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Raza Qadri joined the meeting as well.
Gilani, who secured election on a technocrat seat, also attended the session where party leaders discussed the next government.
New Government Sets Priorities
The participants reviewed the party’s parliamentary strategy and discussed plans for forming the new cabinet.
They also considered priorities for the incoming administration and measures to improve governance across AJK.
Furthermore, the meeting examined ways to strengthen the functioning of government departments.
Party leaders also discussed a future course of action for the new administration after the assembly elects the prime minister.
The PML-N leadership is now expected to finalise other cabinet arrangements ahead of the assembly session.
The upcoming election will formally pave the way for the formation of the new government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
