Tuesday, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) announced its new President, Barrister Sultan Mahmood. Mahmood will succeed Sardar Masood Khan as the president. Sardar Masood Khan’s stipulated constitutional term will come to an end on August 24.
Barrister Sultan Mahmood secured 34 votes, whereas his opponent Mian Abdul Waheed received 16 votes.
Votes for electing the AJK president were cast during a special session of the legislative assembly, which began after a delay of two hours.
Read more: Victory for PTI as it wins majority seats in AJK elections 2021
After Barrister Mahmood won the elections, PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan congratulated him in a tweet.
“Congratulations to PTI Barrister Sultan Mehmood on his election as President of Azad Kashmir and best wishes. Inshallah, you will play a high role for the rights of Kashmiris as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and bring real change in Kashmir. Amen,” he tweeted.
پی ٹی آئی کے بیرسٹر سلطان محمود کو آزاد کشمیر کا صدر منتخب ہونے پر مبارک باد اور ڈھیروں دعائیں – انشاء اللہ آپ وزیراعظم عمران خان کے وژن کے مطابق کشمیریوں کے حقوق کے لیے اعلیٰ کردار ادا کریں گے اور کشمیر میں حقیقی تبدیلی لیکر آہیں گے – آمین
— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) August 17, 2021
Mahmood, who is the PTI’s regional president, served as a member of the AJK Legislative Assembly from LA-3, Mirpur-III on July 25. He secured his seventh victory in nine general elections since 1985. Apart from these nine general elections, he also won two by-elections held in this constituency.
Before his nomination as the PTI’s candidate for presidential elections, he was expected to be nominated as the PM candidate. However, PM Khan chose Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi as the PM of Azad Kashmir.
Sardar Abdul Qayyum as the new PM of Kashmir
Earlier this month, Abdul Qayyum became the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir.
According to the details, Abdul Qayyum Niazi bagged 33 votes in the newly formed Legislative Assembly of AJK. Niazi is the 13th prime minister of Azad Kashmir and will take over the reins of the territory from PML-N’s Raja Farooq Haider.
Niazi won the AJK polls from the LA-18 constituency. He was not among the leading candidates for the post. Initially, Barristers Sultan Mahmood and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan were being considered as the AJK PM.
Read more: Abdul Qayyum Niazi confirmed as the new Prime Minister of AJK