MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 28 (Alliance News): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani on Friday submitted his nomination papers for the election of the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The development came a day after PML-N President Nawaz Sharif nominated Barrister Gilani as the party’s candidate for the AJK premiership.
Gilani was elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly on a reserved seat for technocrats.
Meanwhile, other PML-N candidates, including Col (retd) Waqar Noor, Dr Mustafa Bashir Abbasi, Raja Saqib Majeed and Mir Akbar, also submitted their nomination papers for the prime ministerial election.
The AJK Legislative Assembly has convened its session on Friday to elect a new prime minister following the completion of the nomination process.
According to the election schedule, candidates were required to submit nomination papers between 9:30am and 10:30am. Scrutiny of the papers was conducted from 10:30am to 10:45am, while the list of candidates was scheduled to be displayed at 11am.
Candidates were allowed to withdraw their nomination papers between 11am and 11:30am, after which the final list was to be issued at noon.
The election for the prime minister is scheduled to take place at 2pm following Friday prayers. The newly elected prime minister will take oath at 4pm at the Presidency.
The AJK Legislative Assembly has 53 seats, although its current strength is 46 as elections to seven seats in Poonch and Sudhnoti districts are yet to be held.
The PML-N currently has the support of 32 members in the assembly, including its ally, the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Dast-o-Bazu (JK ADB).
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has 14 members in the assembly.
With the PML-N holding a majority among the current members, the party is in a strong position to secure the AJK premiership, although the final outcome will be determined by the vote in the assembly.
