Iftikhar Gillani takes oath as AJK PM, vows to work ‘around the clock’ to deliver

MUZAFFARABAD: Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gillani on Friday took oath as the 17th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), pledging to work tirelessly to fulfil the confidence reposed in him by his party leadership, lawmakers and the people.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had nominated Barrister Gillani for the top slot.

Earlier, he defeated Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Khan Abbasi in the Legislative Assembly election.

According to HUM News, of the 44 votes polled, Gillani secured 30, while Abbasi received 14.

Speaking after taking oath, Gillani thanked his party and political leadership for entrusting him with the responsibility and pledged to work with his team to meet their expectations.

He said he was prepared to work “around the clock”, if required, to restore and honour the trust placed in him by the leadership and people of AJK.

He stressed the need for cooperation among members of the AJK Legislative Assembly and said the government would have to work collectively to build an Azad Kashmir that could serve as an example for the world.

Gillani identified unemployment, healthcare and education as key challenges facing the region, saying the government would focus on addressing the basic needs of the people.

He said most people primarily seek employment so they can provide food for their families, afford better education for their children and meet healthcare expenses when needed.

The AJK premier said his PML-N government would prioritise job creation and take measures to ensure that young people had access to dignified employment and better prospects for their future.

“We have to ensure that our youth do not choose the wrong path but instead follow one that gives them dignity, employment and a better future,” he said.

Gillani also called for improvements in the region’s hospitals, saying progress on employment, education and healthcare would help ease many of the people’s concerns.

He said the new PML-N team in the assembly comprised both experienced senior politicians and young members, adding that the government would combine the experience of its senior members with the energy of its younger lawmakers.

The newly elected prime minister expressed confidence that by the end of his government’s tenure, AJK’s development and progress would be cited as an example across Pakistan.

Gillani also thanked the guests who attended the oath-taking ceremony, particularly PM’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Dr Abad, for travelling to attend the event.

The AJK Legislative Assembly comprises 53 members, but its current strength stands at 46 as elections to seven seats in the Poonch and Sudhnoti districts have yet to be held.

The PML-N and its allies currently have 32 members, while the PPP has 14 lawmakers in the assembly.

Gillani’s election comes just weeks after he lost the LA-29 Muzaffarabad-III general election to Abbasi, before returning to the AJK Assembly through a reserved technocrat seat.

The newly elected prime minister will take oath at a ceremony to be held at the President House in Muzaffarabad shortly.

The election was held during a session of the AJK Legislative Assembly on Friday, with lawmakers casting their votes to choose the region’s new chief executive.

Gillani’s election also comes amid reported reservations within the PML-N over his nomination for the top slot.

Former AJK prime minister and senior PML-N leader Raja Farooq Haider, who had announced that he would not vote for Gillani, nevertheless arrived at the assembly alongside the newly nominated leader of the house.

The appearance of Haider alongside Gillani attracted considerable attention in political circles, given his earlier decision not to support the PML-N nominee.

Gillani arrived at the assembly accompanied by Haider ahead of the session in which he was ultimately elected prime minister.

Who is Iftikhar Gillani?

Barrister Iftikhar Gillani is a seasoned PML-N politician in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He was elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly in 2011 and 2016 and served as education minister in the AJK cabinet following the 2016 elections.

In the 2026 AJK general election, Gillani contested the LA-29 Muzaffarabad-III constituency on a PML-N ticket but lost to PPP candidate Mukhtar Abbasi.

He subsequently contested the reserved technocrat seat as the PML-N candidate. In the August 24 election, Gillani secured 26 votes to defeat PPP candidate Sahibzada Zulfiqar Ali, who received 12 votes.

His victory enabled him to return to the AJK Legislative Assembly only weeks after losing the general election. He was subsequently nominated by the PML-N for the AJK prime minister’s office and has now been elected the region’s 17th prime minister.

Who is Mukhtar Ahmed Abbasi?

Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Khan Abbasi was born on October 1, 1963, in Muzaffarabad.

He received his early education in Peshawar, passing his matriculation examination from the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Peshawar in 1977.

He later studied at the Board of Technical Education Peshawar and subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.

Abbasi also has a background in the construction business.

His father, Sardar Fareed Khan Abbasi, established a construction company in 1992. The company later undertook major development projects in different parts of Pakistan, including projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Sindh and Balochistan, as well as infrastructure projects in AJK.

Abbasi entered politics alongside his professional career. He was elected a member of the AJK Council in 2016 and served in the body for five years.

He contested the 2021 AJK general elections from LA-29 Muzaffarabad-III as an independent candidate and later joined the PPP.

He remained active in the party’s organisational and political activities in Muzaffarabad, including during the 2022 local government elections.

In the 2026 AJK general election, the PPP again fielded Abbasi from LA-29 Muzaffarabad-III. He won the seat with 20,045 votes, defeating PML-N’s Gillani, who secured 16,507 votes.

Abbasi subsequently emerged as the PPP’s candidate for the AJK premiership but lost the contest to Gillani, who secured 30 of the 44 votes polled, while Abbasi received 14.

Earlier, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif had nominated Gillani for the top office following consultations within the party.

The decision had reportedly triggered reservations among some senior PML-N figures in AJK, including Shah Ghulam Qadir, who had himself been considered a strong contender for the premiership.

Despite the reported differences, the party proceeded with Gillani’s nomination and he has now secured the region’s top elected office.

Gillani’s victory gives the PML-N control of the top constitutional executive office as the new AJK government moves towards cabinet formation.

Cabinet formation next

Following the election and oath-taking of the new prime minister, consultations are expected to begin on the formation of the AJK cabinet and allocation of key portfolios.

The distribution of major constitutional offices has also been shaped by considerations of regional representation.

The speakership has already gone to the Mirpur division, while the premiership has now gone to the Muzaffarabad division.

The presidency is expected to go to the Poonch division, although the presidential election has yet to be held because of the prevailing law and order situation.

Gillani’s election thus marks a remarkable political turnaround for the PML-N leader, who has gone from losing a general election to returning to the assembly through a reserved seat and securing the AJK premiership within the same month.