Najeeb Naqi elected AJK president with 32 votes, PPP's Latif Akbar gets 13

Update, 24 September 2026: Dr Muhammad Najeeb Naqi of the PML-N has been elected president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir with 32 votes. The PPP's Chaudhry Latif Akbar got 13. He becomes AJK's 25th president and will serve a five-year term, filling a post that has had no elected holder since January.

The result

The AJK Legislative Assembly has 46 members. Dr Naqi's 32 came from 31 PML-N lawmakers and one member of the Jammu Kashmir Awami Democratic Bloc (JKADB), which is allied with the PML-N, Geo News reported. Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, who had been acting president, did not vote, and one member was absent. Polling ran from 11am to 1pm at the Assembly Secretariat in Muzaffarabad, Dawn reported.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Dr Naqi and said his election reflected the confidence of the people of AJK, according to Dawn.

Who Dr Najeeb Naqi is

• AJK health minister from 2006 to 2011 and again from 2016 to 2021 (Geo News).
• Has also held the education and information technology portfolios (Dawn).
• Was set to contest the 2026 general election, but polling in seven Poonch constituencies was postponed over law and order (Dawn).
• Nominated for the presidency by PML-N president Nawaz Sharif on 16 September.

Why the post was vacant

The presidency fell vacant in January 2026 when Barrister Sultan Mahmood died. Chaudhry Latif Akbar, who lost today's vote, first served as acting president, followed by Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq.

The result completes the new PML-N-led set-up in Muzaffarabad. Iftikhar Gillani was sworn in as AJK prime minister on 28 August after winning the Assembly vote 30 to 14.

What it means for readers in AJK

The president is the constitutional head of Azad Kashmir, and an elected holder ends eight months of acting arrangements. The day-to-day questions that matter to households, prices, power bills and fuel relief, sit with Prime Minister Gillani's government.

• The federal fuel relief is open in AJK: bike and 800cc car owners register by SMS to 9771 using province code A. See our relief guide.
• Families receiving money from the Gulf can check today's riyal and dirham rates before converting.
• Check today's petrol price before you fill up.

Earlier: the election schedule (16 September)

AJK Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal announced the schedule: nomination papers on 19 September, withdrawals by 23 September and polling on 24 September, with the result the same day. Dr Naqi said on his nomination that reducing public hardship would be his priority, ARY News reported.