PML-N's Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani elected as new AJK prime minister

Muzaffarabad: On Friday, PML-N lawyer Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani was chosen as the new prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, receiving 30 out of the 44 votes cast in the assembly. His only rival was PPP's Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Abbasi, who received 14 votes. The AJK Assembly consists of 53 members, but currently, it has 46 members, with PML-N holding 32 seats, including allies, and PPP possessing 14 seats due to the pending elections for seven seats in Poonch and Sudhnoti districts.

Only 44 votes were polled during the election, as the speaker abstained and PML-N regional president Shah Ghulam Qadir was absent. Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq declared Gillani the winner after the vote count, receiving applause and chants from the audience. Gillani succeeded PPP's Rathore, who was elected as prime minister in November 2025.

Qadir and former AJK premier Raja Farooq Haider had initially opposed Gillani's nomination for the position. However, after the assembly proceedings commenced on Friday, Haider joined Gillani in the House. Gillani's candidacy was announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a meeting with four senior PML-N leaders from AJK in Islamabad, late Wednesday night.

The decision, which caused concern from Qadir and Haider, led to a meeting with Sanaullah and Rafique, but no resolution was reached. Qadir assured the people of Azad Kashmir that their dignity would be upheld, while the PPP accused the elections of being rigged and marred by irregularities.