Barrister Iftikhar Gilani elected Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir

Barrister Iftikhar Gilani has been elected as the 17th Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, securing 30 votes in the Legislative Assembly. He defeated the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate, Sardar Mukhtar Khan, who received 14 votes.

Gilani, a former Education Minister, secured his position via a technocrat seat on a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket. His nomination followed a consultative meeting involving senior leadership, including Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif.

The election process follows a period of regional unrest, including protests by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and allegations of rigging during previous voting phases. While Gilani has secured the premiership, the assembly's full strength of 53 members was not present during the vote, as seven seats remained unfilled due to law and order concerns.