Presidential candidates in Azad Jammu and Kashmir file documents in Pakistan — Dawn
In Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) filed nomination papers for their candidates for the post of president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The vote is set to take place on September 24, Dawn reports.
Candidates for the post
PML-N nominated 62-year-old former minister Dr Najib Naqi. His candidacy was proposed by senior PML-N leader and former prime minister Raja Farooq Haider and seconded by Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Iftikhar Gillani.
The PPP candidate is 78-year-old Chaudhry Latif Akbar. He was nominated by former minister Diwan Ali Khan Chughtai and seconded by legislator Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Abbasi. The chief election commissioner, retired judge Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, who is also responsible for conducting these elections, declared both nominations valid after reviewing the documents.
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Voting and assembly composition
Candidates may withdraw their papers until 11:30 on September 23. Voting is scheduled for September 24 at the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretariat from 10:00 to 13:00. Vote counting and the announcement of the result are to take place on the same day.
The presidential post has remained vacant since January following the death of Barrister Sultan Mahmood. The duties of president were previously performed by the then speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Chaudhry Latif Akbar. After his election as speaker on August 25, these duties passed to Chaudhry Tariq Farooq.
Under the Constitution of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the president is elected by members of the Legislative Assembly by a majority of its total membership. In direct elections in 38 assembly constituencies last month, PML-N won 25 seats and PPP won 12. PPP alleged large-scale rigging during the voting.
