Who will be the next premier of Azad Jammu and Kashmir?

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday conducted interviews for the post of Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the single-largest party in the recently held polls in the region, ARY News reported.

According to details, Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting here in Islamabad to discuss matters pertaining to forming the next government in AJK and the nomination of the new prime minister in AJK.

After the session, PM Khan held separate meetings with former AJK PM Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, veteran politician Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Khawaja Farooq and Azhar Sadiq.

During the meeting, PM asked several questions from candidates and discussed topics related to education, health, development, agriculture. PM also asked about their priorities related to Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources say that former AJK prime minister Barrister Sultan Mehmood and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas are favourite for the AJK PM’s post.

Former Prime Minister Sultan Mahmood is a veteran Kashmiri leader, who had been elected to the AJKLA multiple times like his father the late Chaudhry Noor Hussain. Sultan Mahmood joined the PTI in 2015. He also heads the AJK chapter of the PTI. In 2016, he was routed by his traditional challenger from his native Mirpur constituency. He defeated PML-N candidate in 2021 elections.

Tanveer Ilyas became formally associated with the PTI only after he was given its ticket for the Bagh seat. He defeated PPP candidate Sardar Ziaul Haq on LA-15 Bagh-II seat

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secured a clear majority in elections on 45 general seats of 53-member Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

According to unofficial results, PTI won in 25 constituencies, followed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in 11 constituencies and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in six constituencies.