Azad Jammu and Kashmir is set to get a new head of government, with Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani emerging as PML-N’s surprise choice for the region’s premiership. His nomination has triggered one of the most closely watched political contests in recent AJK parliamentary history.This feature looks at who Gilani is, how he rose to this position, and what his leadership could mean for Azad Kashmir moving forward.
Background: A Region in Political Transition
Azad Jammu and Kashmir, whose capital is Muzaffarabad, has seen significant political change throughout 2026. The region lost its president, Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, in January, and later held Legislative Assembly elections in three phases between late July and mid-August, in which PML-N emerged as the clear frontrunner with 25 of 38 contested general seats.With PML-N positioned to form the new government, attention quickly turned to who would lead it, a decision that ultimately came down to PML-N President Nawaz Sharif himself.
Details: Gilani’s Path to the Premiership
Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani was born in Muzaffarabad on July 27, 1980, and received his early education in Islamabad before moving to London, where he earned a bachelor’s degree from SOAS and was later called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 2005. He returned to Pakistan the following year and enrolled as a lawyer in Islamabad.
Gilani is no stranger to AJK politics, having previously represented the region in the Legislative Assembly during the 2011 and 2016 terms, and having served as AJK’s education minister for several years, including during former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider’s tenure around 2016 to 2018. In the 2026 elections, after an initial setback, he secured a reserved technocrat seat with 26 votes, putting him back in contention for the region’s top office.
The Nomination and Its Controversy
Nawaz Sharif’s decision to nominate Gilani for the premiership came as a surprise to many within PML-N’s regional leadership. The party had initially been expected to nominate Shah Ghulam Qadir, the PML-N’s AJK president, for the role. Instead, Sharif summoned Qadir, Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, and former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider to a meeting in Islamabad, where he conveyed his decision in favour of Gilani.
The move was not universally welcomed. Both Qadir and Haider reportedly expressed reservations, with Qadir indicating he would neither vote for Gilani nor attend the assembly session called to elect the new premier. Despite this internal friction, PML-N’s overall numerical strength in the 53-member assembly, with 32 supporting members including coalition partners, positioned Gilani for a likely successful election.
Quotes From Political Figures
PML-N spokesperson and Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed Gilani’s nomination publicly, stating it followed consultations within the party leadership. Gilani himself struck an optimistic tone following his nomination, saying PML-N’s vision for Azad Kashmir was based on public service, protecting citizens’ rights, and driving development and progress across the region.
Reports on the internal party dynamics noted that Qadir maintained the party needed to respect the electoral mandate given to it by the people of AJK, reflecting the tension between political loyalty and regional expectations that shaped the nomination process.
Impact: What This Means for Azad Kashmir’s Politics
Gilani’s likely elevation to the premiership represents a notable shift in AJK’s political dynamics, given that he was elected via a reserved technocrat seat rather than a direct general constituency win. His background as a lawyer with strong ties to PML-N’s central leadership, including a close working relationship with Maryam Nawaz, marks a departure from some of AJK’s more traditional, dynastic political figures.
The episode also highlights the broader, ongoing evolution of political leadership in Azad Kashmir, a region that has cycled through numerous prime ministers in recent years, including businessman-turned-politician Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan, who served as AJK’s 14th prime minister and remains a notable example of the region’s business-politics crossover, having built commercial interests before entering full-time politics.
Conclusion: What Happens Next
With nomination papers filed and scrutiny completed, the AJK Legislative Assembly was scheduled to formally vote for its new prime minister, with Gilani widely expected to secure the position given PML-N’s numerical advantage over the Pakistan Peoples Party’s competing candidates. Barring a significant upset, Gilani is set to become the 17th Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Once in office, Gilani will be watched closely on how he manages both governance priorities and the internal party tensions that emerged during his nomination, particularly his relationship with senior regional PML-N figures who initially opposed his selection.
FAQs
Who is a new prime minister?
The new Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is expected to be Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani, nominated by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif following the party’s strong showing in the 2026 AJK Legislative Assembly elections. Gilani, a lawyer by training with prior experience as AJK’s education minister, was set to be formally elected by the Legislative Assembly, with PML-N holding a clear majority alongside its coalition partners.
Who is the current prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir?
As PML-N’s nominee following its 2026 election victory, Barrister Iftikhar Ali Gilani was positioned to become the 17th Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir. He succeeds previous office holders such as Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq and Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, continuing a pattern of frequent leadership changes that has characterised AJK’s government in recent years.
Who is the current president of Azad Kashmir?
Following the death of President Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry in January 2026, Chaudhry Latif Akbar, previously the Speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly, took over as acting president in accordance with the region’s constitutional succession process. He has remained in that role through the region’s subsequent elections and government formation process in 2026.
