The senior leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) gathered in Murree on Saturday to discuss the formation of the next government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif is chairing the meeting, which is being attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the party’s newly elected members of the AJK Legislative Assembly.
The selection of the next AJK prime minister is among the main issues under discussion. According to party sources, PML-N AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir is currently seen as the leading candidate for the post.
Former AJK prime minister Raja Farooq Haider, Tariq Farooq and retired Col Waqar are also being considered for the position.
The AJK parliamentary party has authorised Nawaz Sharif to take the final decision on who will lead the next government.
The meeting is also discussing candidates for the reserved seats. PML-N AJK has already submitted a proposed list of nominees to Nawaz Sharif for consideration.
For the women’s reserved seats, the names being considered include Maria Iqbal Tarana, Nasira Khan, Maryam Kashmiri, Nisara Abbasi and Seharish Qamar.
Raja Shadab Sikandar is being considered for the technocrat seat, while Pir Mazhar Saeed has been proposed for the ulema and mashaikh seat. Raja Mohammad Javed is likely to be nominated for the overseas seat.
Party sources said the final approval of the nominees would be given by the PML-N’s top leadership as part of the wider process to complete the formation of the new AJK government.