PML-N's Masood Khan elected AJK president

E-Paper | March 02, 2026

MUZAFFARABAD: PML-N candidate and former ambassador Mohammad Masood Khan was elected president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) by the legislative assembly on Wednesday.

Masood was given 42 votes while PPP candidate Chaudhry Latif Akbar was given six votes. The Muslim Conference and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf boycotted the election.

Masood Khan, who belongs to a suburb of Rawalakot city falling in the constituency LA-19, Poonch-III, was nominated by the PML-N as its candidate for the office of AJK president after the party won by a landslide in the general elections for 41 direct seats of the AJK LA.

Pakistan

Tariq Naqash is a Muzaffarabad-based senior staff correspondent for Dawn with nearly three decades of experience in reporting, analysis, and feature writing. His work focuses on politics, conflict, and governance. He can be found on X at @tariqnaqash.

Why the Mehbooba flag fiasco is symbolic of the collapse of state machinery in Kashmir

Mehbooba regrets Wani killing, puts New Delhi in a bind

Black day observed in Azad Kashmir

Bol

Aug 16, 2016 04:05pm

He was an ambassador, a bureaucrat, hope he will know how to manage things diplomatically. Best of luck.

Recommend 0

roadkashehzada

Aug 16, 2016 04:05pm

very good move by PMLN. should also revamp kashmir committee

Recommend 0

Peshawari

Aug 16, 2016 04:23pm

He is most talented person for this position. And deserve more

Recommend 0

Sohail Khan Wazir

Aug 16, 2016 04:40pm

He is a very well known person. A very good decision to make him a president.

Recommend 0

Rizwan Khan

Aug 16, 2016 05:04pm

Despite my reservation about N league government, this is the best choice they could have made. I wish the president had some powers to change things, ceremonial role is not good enough for a talented person like Mr Masood Khan

Recommend 0

Jamal

Aug 16, 2016 05:45pm

A rare wise decision by Nawaz. Amazing Mr Khan represented Pakistan around the world with great success. Wish him luck in this new role

Recommend 0

Baba Bandook

Aug 16, 2016 06:04pm

A very good decision, I like Masood khan, he's well educated and a dignified person. He has successfully represented Pakistan on various international forums. Best of luck mr Masood.

Recommend 0

Optimistic Pakistani

Aug 16, 2016 06:34pm

He should have been elected unopposed.

Recommend 0

bharath

Aug 16, 2016 06:55pm

Is he a Kashmiri?

Recommend 0

M.Saeed

Aug 16, 2016 07:00pm

He is a very intelligent, honest and patriotic Kashmiri-Pakistani. Best of luck to him in this very important position.

Recommend 0

Hamid Shafiq

Aug 16, 2016 07:10pm

@bharath yes belong to divid district of Poonch at the LOC of Kashmir. Most intelligent and good character person.

Recommend 0

Shaukat Ali Khan

Aug 16, 2016 07:12pm

PTI's behaviour is same everywhere; hooliganism and blameering to create hurdles in development.

Recommend 0

Life

Aug 16, 2016 07:22pm

A very good choice but why PTI chose to boycott?

Recommend 0

Dawn

Aug 16, 2016 07:51pm

Good Choice

Recommend 0

hamza khan

Aug 16, 2016 07:59pm

actually a good choice!

Recommend 0

pink noise

Aug 16, 2016 08:05pm

Great Man.

Recommend 0

Nauman Mohd

Aug 16, 2016 08:44pm

I cannot get this. If AJK is really an "azad" entity then why for once Pakistan has a hand in its running and for that matter why PML-N? Why is it not left as an autonomous state minding its own business? Is this the reason why Mirpuris have left Pakistan in heavy numbers and settled in the West because they do not have autonomy in their own country? By the same token if IHK were to gain "azadi", what is the guarantee that they will be completely autonomous without ownership from Pakistan? The people of Kashmir could end up as being out of the frying pan into the fire.

Recommend 0

M.Saeed

Aug 16, 2016 08:56pm

@Nauman Mohd : Have some sense man. PML(N) is a political party which has its local chapter in Azad Kashmir. Just like BJP and Congress chapters in IHK.

Recommend 0

Nauman Mohd

Aug 16, 2016 09:08pm

@M.Saeed So on one hand you are saying that BJP and Congress (or India for that matter) should have no hand in the running of IHK but at the same time you are proudly saying PML-N and PPP are OK to have a chapter in AJK. Tremendous logic , ha!

Recommend 0

Dogar

Aug 16, 2016 09:13pm

He is a good man and good pick by PLMN. I am a supporter of PTI and was hoping that PTI would put differences aside to vote for this noble person. This would have send a good unified message to entire Kashmir including Indian occupied Kashmir.

Recommend 0

UniqueComment

Aug 16, 2016 10:20pm

Best decision of PML(N) Mr Masood Khan is the excellent choice ,he had a long experience being at distinguish posts in foreign ministry,and seasoned diplomat . He can take up the matter of IOK with UN, and revive it there for immediate intervention of UN to ask India to stop genocide, which is forbidden by UN Conventions on Genocide.

Recommend 0

Khan USA

Aug 17, 2016 12:45am

PPP cultivated what it had sown before !

Recommend 0

Alba

Aug 17, 2016 03:04am

The Pakistan Peoples Party in missing in action.

Recommend 0