Reporting snapshot · 27 August 2026. This reports the nomination announced on the day, ahead of an AJK Legislative Assembly session called for 28 August to elect the prime minister.
What happened
PML-N leader and Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced on 27 August 2026 that Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani had been nominated as the party’s candidate for the office of prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The announcement came days after Nawaz Sharif had first nominated Shah Ghulam Qadir for the post, following an AJK election in which the PML-N secured a majority. The elections were held in three phases between 27 July and 10 August; polling took place in 38 of the 45 directly contested constituencies, with the PML-N winning 25 seats and the Pakistan People’s Party 12.
Gilani, who was elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly on a technocrat seat, is expected to seek the support of PML-N lawmakers for his election as prime minister. The AJK Legislative Assembly has summoned a session on 28 August to elect the new prime minister.
The switch triggered differences inside the PML-N’s AJK chapter. PML-N AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir has reportedly expressed reservations over Gilani’s nomination and, according to party sources, said he would neither vote for Gilani nor attend the 28 August session. Former AJK prime minister Raja Farooq Haider also reportedly raised objections.
Party sources said Qadir and Haider conveyed their reservations at a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on Wednesday in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Qadir has maintained that the party must respect the mandate given to it by the people of AJK and uphold its “Vote Ko Izzat Do (respect the vote)” slogan. He is expected to consult senior leaders and workers before announcing his next move.
Why it matters
AJK’s government formation follows an election in which the PML-N emerged as the largest parliamentary group and was expected to form a government with relative ease. The dispute over the candidate turns a routine election into a closely watched test of the party’s internal discipline and puts its “respect the vote” slogan under scrutiny.
The assembly session on 28 August is the first under the new parliamentary term. Forty-six newly elected members took the oath on 24 August, with Speaker Latif Akbar administering it; 31 PML-N members took the oath, along with one from the Awami Dast-o-Bazu, while 14 PPP members were also sworn in.
What remains uncertain
It is not clear whether Gilani can command the support needed in the 28 August vote, or how Qadir and Haider will act. Qadir has said he will consult party leaders and workers before deciding his course, and the reported reservations have not been publicly reconciled. Neither Gilani nor the dissenting leaders had commented publicly on the outcome of the Islamabad meeting as of 27 August.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent on-the-ground reporting. Facts and attributed remarks are as carried by the cited source, which was reviewed on 27 August 2026.
- The Express Tribune — "Nawaz nominates Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani for AJK premier"27 August 2026 · The nomination, the earlier choice of Shah Ghulam Qadir, the election results, the AJK chapter's reservations and the 28 August assembly session.
