Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidates Chaudhry Tariq Farooq and Ahmad Raza Qadri won the elections for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
Their victories marked an important step in the government formation process. The elections followed the oath-taking of newly elected assembly members.
A total of 46 votes were cast during the session. Both PML-N candidates secured 32 votes each.
Consequently, Chaudhry Tariq Farooq became the 16th Speaker of the AJK Assembly. Meanwhile, Ahmad Raza Qadri became the 15th Deputy Speaker.
Nomination Papers Filed Before Elections
Earlier, candidates submitted nomination papers at the Assembly Secretariat. Chaudhry Tariq Farooq and Ahmad Raza Qadri filed papers for Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party nominated Chaudhry Mohammad Qasim Majeed and Abdul Ghaffar Lone for the respective posts.
According to the schedule, lawmakers elected the Speaker at 2 pm. They later voted for the Deputy Speaker at 3 pm.
Voting Results Announced in Assembly Session
Outgoing Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar presided over the assembly session. He supervised the polling process and announced the official results.
PPP candidate Qasim Majeed received 13 votes in the Speaker election. In addition, officials rejected one vote during counting.
Furthermore, the successful completion of voting reflected a smooth democratic transition. Political observers consider the elections a crucial stage in forming the new government.
The development strengthens the legislative framework. It also prepares the assembly for its upcoming parliamentary responsibilities.
