AJK Legislative Assembly to elect new president in delayed vote

On Thursday, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will convene to elect a new president for a five-year term, a vote that has been pending since the death of incumbent Barrister Sultan Mahmood. The race features Dr Najeeb Naqi, representing the ruling PML-N, and Chaudhry Latif Akbar of the opposition PPP, both experienced legislators. The Assembly comprises 46 members; the PML-N holds 31 seats (excluding Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq), while the PPP controls 14.

According to the AJK Constitution, the president is chosen by a simple majority of Assembly members. In parallel, the AJK Election Commission announced the schedule for filling four seats on the AJK Council, whose terms expired last month, with voting slated for Oct 12 and nomination paperwork due by Oct 1. The timeline includes scrutiny on Oct 2 and a window for appeal on Oct 5. The outcomes will shape the region's leadership and legislative agenda for the next half-decade.