MUZAFFARABAD: The new Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) president will be elected on September 24, the region’s election commission announced on Tuesday.

The office of the AJK president has remained vacant since January this year following the death of Barrister Sultan Mahmood. Previously, then-Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar was serving as the acting president. The role was then assumed by incumbent Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Tariq Farooq after being elected speaker on August 25.

Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal announced the schedule while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.

Mughal said candidates will file their nomination papers, with him acting as the returning officer, from 10am to noon on Sept 19 (Saturday).

He added that scrutiny of nomination papers would be carried out the same day at his office. Candidates may withdraw their nomination papers by 11:30am on Sept 23, he added.

Mughal said polling would be held at the AJK Assembly Secretariat from 10am to 1pm on Sept 24, after which votes would be counted and the result announced the same day.

AJK Election Commission’s senior member Khawaja Mohammad Ahsen and member Syed Nazeerul Hassan Gillani were also present at the press conference.

Given its majority in the Assembly, PML-N is poised to have its nominee elected as the next AJK president. Party sources told Dawn that former health minister Dr Najeeb Naqi is most likely to be picked for the slot. He belongs to AJK’s Sudhnoti district.