AJK assembly to elect prime minister on August 27

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will elect the new prime minister on August 27, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in a strong position to

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will elect the new prime minister on August 27, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in a strong position to secure the top office.

The election schedule was issued on Wednesday, setting out the timeline for nomination papers, scrutiny, withdrawal and polling.

Under the schedule, candidates will submit their nomination papers between 9:30am and 10:30am. The scrutiny process will take place from 10:30am to 10:45am.

The list of candidates will be displayed at 11am. Candidates will have 30 minutes, from 11am to 11:30am, to withdraw their nominations.

The final list of candidates will be issued at noon.

Polling for the office of prime minister will begin at 12:30pm in the Legislative Assembly.

The newly elected prime minister is scheduled to take the oath between 4pm and 5pm on the same day.

The PML-N has nominated party president Shah Ghulam Qadir for the position. Based on the current strength of the assembly, he is considered the leading candidate for the office.

The recent AJK elections were conducted in three phases between July 27 and August 10. Polling was held in 38 of the 45 directly contested constituencies.

The PML-N emerged as the largest parliamentary group by winning 25 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured 12 seats.

The PML-N’s position was further strengthened after the lone elected member of the Awami Dast-o-Bazu party joined the ruling alliance.

The PML-N currently has the backing of 32 members, compared with 14 members supporting the PPP. The numbers give the PML-N a clear advantage ahead of the prime ministerial election.

The political balance was also reflected in the recent elections for the assembly’s top offices.

PML-N AJK Secretary General Chaudhry Tariq Farooq was elected speaker with 32 votes. Ahmed Raza Qadri also secured 32 votes to become deputy speaker.

PPP nominee Qasim Majid received 13 votes in the speaker’s election, while PPP candidate Amir Abdul Ghaffar Lone secured 13 votes in the deputy speaker’s contest. One PPP vote was declared invalid.

The new assembly formally began its parliamentary term on August 24, when 46 newly elected members took their oaths.

Outgoing Speaker Latif Akbar administered the oath during the inaugural sitting.