PM Imran names Abdul Qayyum Niazi for AJK PM slot

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has nominated Abdul Qayyum Niazi as the PTI candidate for the slot of Azad Kashmir Prime Minister on Wednesday, Geo News reported. 

After "considerable consultations and suggestions", PM Imran Khan has decided to nominated Qayyum Niazi for the key post, said Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry.

In his Tweet, Fawad Chaudhry said, "He [Niazi] is a vibrant, genuine political worker whose heart beats with the party's political workers."

It is pertinent to mention here that the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (AJLA) will elect its 13th prime minister at 2pm today.

The PTI has emerged as the largest party in the parliament, with 32 members.

Opposition's candidate 

Meanwhile, Chaudhry Lateef Akbar said that the opposition parties PPP and PML-N have decided to field him as their joint candidate for the post of prime minister.

"I urge parliamentarians to vote for me to bring Azad Kashmir closer to Pakistan," he said, adding that during the PPP's tenure, historic initiatives were undertaken in Azad Kashmir.

The election for the Azad Kashmir prime minister will be held according to Article 13 of the Constitution. Each prime ministerial candidate will have his own presiding officer.

Members of the parliament will cast their open votes in front of the presiding officer and then exit the parliament. All the parliamentarians will leave the AJK assembly after having cast their votes.