Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani secured 30 votes to defeat PPP candidate Sardar Mukhtar Khan and pledged reforms in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani has been sworn in as the 17th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) after winning the leadership election in the regional Legislative Assembly.
Gilani secured 30 votes, defeating Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Sardar Mukhtar Khan, who received 14 votes. The newly elected premier later took oath at a ceremony held at the AJK Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad on Friday.
Gilani takes oath as AJK premier
Gilani was administered the oath of office during a ceremony in Muzaffarabad before delivering his maiden address to the assembly.
He was elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly for the first time in 2011 and previously served as the region’s education minister. In the latest elections, he entered the assembly through a reserved technocrat seat.
His election returns the PML-N to power in AJK after a decade, according to the Associated Press.
PML-N secures 30 votes
The AJK Assembly currently has 46 members, while seven seats remain vacant because elections in parts of Poonch and Sudhnoti districts have yet to be held.
Of the votes cast in Friday’s election, Gilani secured 30 while PPP’s Mukhtar Ahmed Abbasi received 14.
The PML-N currently holds 32 members, including allies, while the PPP has 14 lawmakers in the assembly.
Gilani vows reforms in AJK
In his first address after being elected, Gilani pledged to introduce reforms aimed at improving governance and public services across Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
He said his government would seek to bring changes similar to those he attributed to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Gilani also announced plans for a third-party recruitment system, modelled on the National Testing Service, for government hiring.
He acknowledged that internet services remain unavailable in some parts of AJK and said his government would work towards a digital economy.
The new premier also pledged to promote skills-based education, reform the health and education sectors and establish a digital citizen portal to address public complaints.
Gilani highlights Kashmir issue
Addressing the assembly, Gilani said the Kashmir issue was not simply a territorial dispute but concerned the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people under United Nations resolutions.
He criticised India’s measures of August 5, 2019, saying legislation could not alter the status of Kashmir.
Gilani also expressed appreciation for the Pakistan Army and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, saying the armed forces had contributed to security in the region.
Shehbaz congratulates new AJK PM
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Gilani on his election and described the continuation of the democratic process in AJK as a welcome development.
Shehbaz said the PML-N’s victory reflected the leadership of party president Nawaz Sharif and the efforts of party workers.
He also expressed confidence that Gilani would work for the development and welfare of AJK and reaffirmed the federal government’s support for the region.
AJK political transition
Gilani’s election followed the recent AJK legislative elections, which were conducted in phases amid security concerns and unrest.
The PML-N emerged as the leading party, securing 25 of the 38 directly contested seats, while the PPP won 12. The remaining directly elected member subsequently aligned with the PML-N. The party also secured six reserved seats compared with two won by the PPP.
The PPP has alleged irregularities in the electoral process, claims that remain contested.
