PML-N's Iftikhar Gillani elected as PoK 'prime minister'

Barrister Iftikhar Ali Gillani was elected as the prime minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on August 28, 2026, following controversial elections, according to wire service reports. The former PML-N regional president secured 30 out of 44 votes in the region's legislative assembly, with Mukhtar Ahmed from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) receiving 14 votes.

The assembly consists of 53 members, but only 46 were present during the vote due to ongoing disputes and a law and order situation. PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif had nominated Gillani for the position on August 27. The recent elections took place in three phases between July 27 and August 3, and were reportedly marred by violent protests and allegations of massive rigging.

Gillani had initially lost his direct seat but was later elected on a technocrat seat. Out of the 53 seats in the PoK assembly, 45 are directly elected, while the remaining eight are reserved for women, technocrats, and clerics. The PML-N won 25 direct seats, the PPP won 12, and the Awami Dast-o-Bazu party won one seat. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has been organizing protests since early June, demanding the cancellation of 12 reserved seats and opposing Gillani's election, as he was elected on a reserved seat after a previous defeat on a general seat.