PML-N nominee Iftikhar Gilani has been elected as the 17th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), securing 30 votes in the AJK Legislative Assembly on Friday.
His rival, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Sardar Mukhtar Khan, received 14 votes in the election.
Gilani entered the AJK Legislative Assembly in 2011 after being elected for the first time. He has previously served as the region’s education minister.
In 2026, Gilani entered the AJK Legislative Assembly through a reserved technocrat seat. On Thursday, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif formally nominated him as the party’s candidate for the AJK prime minister’s post.
The AJK Legislative Assembly comprises 53 seats, although only 46 are currently filled. Elections for seven constituencies in Poonch and Sudhnoti districts are still pending.
The PML-N commands the backing of 32 assembly members, including support from its coalition partner, the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu (JK ADB). The PPP has 14 members in the house.
