Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has summoned party ticket aspirants for the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections to Lahore on Friday, party sources said.
More than 205 PML-N leaders and activists from 33 constituencies in AJK and 12 in Pakistan, reserved for the refugees from occupied Jammu and Kashmir, have applied for party tickets. They have been directed to appear before the parliamentary board at 11:30am at the party’s Model Town office, a party leader said.
Prior to this, the 24-member parliamentary board will hold its first formal meeting at 11am with Mr Sharif in the chair. The board, constituted by him on April 16, has been tasked with scrutinising and finalising candidates for the polls due in July.
Headed by Mr Sharif, the board includes Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Asif, Amir Muqam and Rana Sanaullah.
Other members include former ministers Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Senator Anusha Rahman, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Chaudhry Barjees Tahir, Hamza Shehbaz, Marriyum Aurangzeb and retired Capt Muhammad Safdar. Former MNA Chaudhry Abid Raza was also added to the panel recently.
The AJK representation comprises the party’s regional president Shah Ghulam Qadir, former AJK prime minister Raja Farooq Haider, Mushtaq Ahmad Minhas, Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed, Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, Dr Najeeb Naqi, Barrister Iftikhar Gillani and Chaudhry Abdul Rehman Arain.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also constituted a nine-member political committee comprising federal ministers and AJK-based leaders to shape party policy and oversee political affairs related to the region.
In February, the committee’s AJK members held consultations with prospective candidates at divisional headquarters across the territory, while separate consultations with aspirants from among Pakistan-based Kashmiri refugees were held in Rawalpindi.
Party sources said the committee had completed most of the groundwork regarding prospective candidates in the 33 AJK constituencies.
“Recommendations for party candidates have almost been finalised in around 25 constituencies following an extensive consultative process,” a source said on condition of anonymity.
“However, in seven to eight constituencies, decisions remain pending due to the presence of multiple strong contenders,” the source added, expressing confidence that consensus would be reached on the remaining seats.
“The parliamentary board will take decisions on merit, and these are expected to be accepted in the larger interest of the party. Workers have traditionally demonstrated discipline, and the same is expected this time as well,” another source said.
PML-N sources also expressed confidence that the party’s governance record would resonate with voters in AJK.
“The PML-N has consistently demonstrated its ability to deliver stable and development-oriented governance. We are confident that the people of AJK will once again place their trust in the party,” a source said.
Earlier, the parliamentary board meeting was scheduled to be held in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday and Thursday, and several AJK-based members had arrived in the city on Monday to complete preparatory work. However, the plan was later cancelled, reportedly due to Mr Sharif’s health.
Tariq Naqash
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