Key Takeaways
- Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Naqi elected as AJK president for five-year term.
- Won 32 votes, defeating PPP candidate Chaudhry Latif Akbar.
- PML-N secured 31 of Naqi's votes, JKADB member cast the remaining one.
Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Naqi, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominee, has been elected as the president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) for a five-year term. The election, held at the AJK Legislative Assembly on Thursday, saw Naqi secure 32 votes, defeating the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Chaudhry Latif Akbar, who received 13 votes.
The AJK Assembly, which consists of 46 members, currently has 31 PML-N lawmakers and 14 PPP members. Additionally, the PML-N has an alliance with one member from the Jammu Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu (JKADB).
Naqi's victory marks a significant political shift in AJK, as the PML-N candidate secured a majority in the presidential election. The previous AJK president, Barrister Sultan Mahmood, had passed away in January, leaving the position vacant until now.
The PML-N's strength in the AJK Assembly has grown since the recent general elections, where the party won 25 seats. Following reserved-seat elections, its strength increased to 31. In contrast, the PPP secured 11 seats in the general elections.
The PML-N leader Iftikhar Gilani was sworn in as AJK prime minister on August 28, after securing 30 votes against PPP candidate Sardar Mukhtar Khan's 14 votes.
Dr. Naqi, who previously served as AJK health minister from 2006 to 2011 and again from 2016 to 2021 under the PML-N government, brings significant experience to the role of president. His election is seen as a strong endorsement of the PML-N's political stance in AJK.
The PML-N's victory in the presidential election is expected to solidify its position in AJK and potentially influence future political developments in the region.
The election results reflect the ongoing political dynamics in AJK, where the PML-N has emerged as a dominant force, overshadowing the PPP and other political parties.
