PML-N’s Iftikhar Gillani elected ‘Prime Minister’ of PoK

Advocate Iftikhar Ali Gillani was on Friday (28 Aug 2026) elected to the post of so-called “prime minister” of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) after recent elections marred by violent protests and allegations of massive rigging.

Mr Gillani of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) won 30 of the 44 votes in the so-called Legislative Assembly during its session in Muzaffarabad, the regional capital.

His challenger Mukhtar Ahmed of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won 14 votes.

The assembly has 53 members but its current strength is 46 as elections to seven seats in Poonch and Sudhnoti districts are yet to be held due to what the authorities described as a law and order situation.

Only 44 lawmakers participated in the vote on Friday (August 28) as the Speaker did not cast his vote, while PML-N regional president Shah Ghulam Qadir skipped the assembly session due to differences with his party.

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Thursday (August 27) nominated Mr Gillani for the so-called post of Prime Minister.

Elections for the region’s so-called Legislative Assembly were held in three phases on July 27, August 2 and August 3 and were marred by violent protests and allegations of rigging.

Mr. Gillani was defeated from the seat he contested directly but was later elected to the Legislative Assembly on the seat of a technocrat.

Of the 53 seats in the PoK Legislative Assembly, 45 are directly elected, while eight are reserved for women, technocrats and clerics.

PML-N has so far won 25 seats in direct elections in 38 constituencies and PPP 12. Awami Dast-o-Bazu Party won one seat and supported PML-N.

Of the eight reserved seats, the PML-N won six and the PPP two.

A large number of people under the banner of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) have been staging protests in PoK since early June, in which several protesters and security officials have been killed. The regional government banned the group in June.

The JAAC is protesting the 12 seats reserved for refugees and the election of Mr Gillani may add fuel to the fire as he was elected on a reserved seat after facing defeat in the general seat.

India claims that the entire Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are its integral and inalienable parts. New Delhi also claims that Pakistan has been in “illegal and forcible occupation” of parts of these union territories.

Published – 28 Aug 2026 21:47 IST