Kashmir Election: Who will be the next PM of AJK?

ISLAMABAD: PTI AJK President Barrister Sultan Mahmood and billionaire real estate tycoon, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas are in the race to get the prized post of prime minister, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has confirmed.

According to a Dawn report, both candidates were being considered for the top office of AJK but the final decision will be taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

When asked about the prospects of Tanveer becoming the AJK PM as he is considered the “most favourite” candidate and whether Mahmood was unhappy over not honouring the promise made to him, Fawad said the decision was yet to be taken.

Barrister Mahmood has won the AJK Legislative Assembly seat from his parent Mirpur LA-3 constituency by defeating his nearest rival Ch Muhammad Saeed of PML-N by 3,147 votes, while Sardar Tanveer emerged victorious from his Bagh constituency.

Mahmood has been elected to the AJKLA eight times and had also been the prime minister when he was associated with the PPP. He joined the PTI in 2015 when he was a PPP member of the AJKLA.

Sardar Tanveer is a newcomer to the PTI and owns a famous multi-storey residential and shopping complex in the federal capital. He is currently serving as the special assistant to the Punjab chief minister.

He actually belongs to Rawalakot but opted for the Bagh seat as a large number of members of his caste live there.

Sardar Tanveer tried to brighten his prospects by persuading the former chief of the AJK branch of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Abdul Rasheed Turabi, to withdraw in his favour, a move that quickly earned Turabi expulsion from the party.

Meanwhile, talking to a news channel, Tanveer said the final decision would be taken by PM Imran Khan, adding that he will meet his expectations if he was given the slot of AJK premier.