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

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani was elected prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday, securing 30 of 44 votes cast in the Legislative Assembly. His only rival, Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Abbasi, received 14 votes.

Who is Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani?

Gillani is a PML-N lawmaker who previously served as AJK's education minister. He was first elected to the territory's Legislative Assembly in 2011 and returned to the current assembly after winning a technocrat seat on a PML-N ticket on Aug. 24. His nomination for prime minister was finalized by party leadership just two days later.

How did the AJK prime minister election unfold?

The AJK Assembly has 53 seats, but its current strength stands at 46, since elections to seven seats in Poonch and Sudhnoti districts have not yet been held. The PML-N holds 32 seats including allies, while the PPP holds 14. Only 44 lawmakers voted on Friday because Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq did not cast a vote, and PML-N AJK regional president Shah Ghulam Qadir was absent. Farooq announced Gillani's victory once votes were counted, prompting applause and slogans from the galleries. Gillani succeeds PPP's Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, who had been elected AJK prime minister in November 2025.

How did PML-N settle on Gillani as its candidate?

Gillani's nomination followed weeks of internal maneuvering within PML-N and had initially faced opposition from senior party leaders. It was finalized during a meeting at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's residence in Islamabad late Wednesday, attended by Qadir, former AJK prime minister Raja Farooq Haider, newly elected Speaker Farooq and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Raza Qadri. Shehbaz was accompanied by aide Rana Sanaullah and senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique. Gillani was invited but did not attend.

Shehbaz told the visiting AJK leaders that party chief Nawaz Sharif had decided to nominate Gillani for the premiership. The decision triggered opposition from Qadir and Haider, who reportedly said they would not take part in Friday's vote. Haider later entered the assembly alongside Gillani when proceedings began, while Qadir remained absent throughout.

Qadir and Haider had earlier favored a formula similar to 2016, when Haider was elevated to the premiership. Gillani had emerged as a potential candidate after winning the reserved technocrat seat, but the party's regional leadership had expected the 2016 arrangement to repeat. A follow-up meeting between Sanaullah, Rafique, Qadir and Haider failed to resolve the dispute, according to sources.

In a post-midnight message on X, Qadir assured the "self-respecting people of Azad Kashmir" that he would not compromise on their honor and dignity, adding that Nawaz Sharif's pledge to respect the vote would be upheld. A day earlier, PML-N central information secretary and Punjab senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had confirmed on X that Shehbaz finalized Gillani as the party's candidate and directed him to submit his nomination papers.

What did Shehbaz Sharif say after Gillani's win?

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Gillani on his election, crediting the PML-N's victory in Azad Kashmir to the party leadership, particularly Nawaz Sharif, and to the efforts of party workers. Shehbaz said he hoped Gillani would play a strong role in the development and progress of AJK and work for the welfare of its people. He added that the federal government would keep providing all possible cooperation for development, prosperity and an improved quality of life in the territory. He also welcomed the continuation of the democratic process in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, calling it a positive development.

How did the phased AJK elections play out?

Elections in AJK were originally scheduled for July 27 but were held in phases because of security concerns amid unrest in the region. The first phase took place on July 27, followed by the second on Aug. 2 and the third on Aug. 10. The third phase had initially covered all 11 constituencies in Poonch Division, including three in Bagh, one in Haveli, five in Poonch district and two in Sudhnoti. The AJK Election Commission, however, allowed polling to proceed only in Bagh and Haveli because of law and order concerns.

Across the 38 directly elected seats decided so far, PML-N has won 25 and PPP 12, while the lone elected member of the Awami Dast-o-Bazu party has also joined PML-N. PML-N has additionally won six reserved seats, compared with two for PPP. PPP has alleged widespread rigging and irregularities in the elections.