Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday nominated his party’s lawmaker Abdul Qayyum Niazi as the next premier of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)after extensive consultations.
Niazi won the recent legislative assembly election from Abbaspur-Poonch area.
Mr. Niazi was a member of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference before leaving it to join the PTI two years ago. He was also elected from the platform of the Muslim Conference in 2006 and has also served as the Minister of Food.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party has secured 32 seats in the 53-member House. It is for the first time that the PTI will form a government in PoK.
According to Dawn, Imran Khan Friday and Saturday interviewed no less than seven candidates for the position of PoK prime minister.
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The prime minister had put various questions to them, relating to their future strategy and views on environment, tourism and national and international issues.
According to a source, PM Imran had expressed displeasure over the fact that he was being contacted by different quarters that were exerting pressure to select particular candidates.
Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the largest political party in the PoK Legislative Assembly following the recently held elections on July 25 in the territory.
India has rejected the recent elections in PoK, saying the “cosmetic exercise” was nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to “camouflage its illegal occupation” and that it has lodged a strong protest over the issue.
Reacting strongly on the elections in the PoK, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that Pakistan has “no locus standi on these Indian territories” and it must vacate all Indian areas under its illegal occupation.
(With inputs from ANI)
