Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan Elected President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Legislators in Azad Jammu and Kashmir elected Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan as the region's 25th president on September 24, 2026. Representing the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Dr. Naqi secured 32 votes in the Legislative Assembly, defeating Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Chaudhry Latif Akbar, who received 13 votes. Chief Justice Raja Saeed Akram administered the oath of office to Dr. Naqi at the President's House in Muzaffarabad for a five-year term.

The election filled a constitutional vacancy that had existed since the death of President Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry on January 31, far exceeding the mandated 30-day deadline for a new election. The process took place amid significant regional unrest, including a 99-day internet shutdown and the banning of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee.

Controversy surrounded the vote because seven legislative seats in the Poonch division remained vacant due to postponed polling. While critics argued the incomplete assembly undermined the legitimacy of the process, Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal maintained that the absence of those legislators was not a legal bar to the election. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Dr. Naqi following the victory, expressing hope for the region's future development and welfare.