Barrister Syed Iftikhar Ali Gilani meets thanked Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz for new buses. — PHOTO COURTESY NUKTA
LAHORE:
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Sunday shared a “100-day reform plan” to improve healthcare, education, sanitation, infrastructure and other sectors in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) during a meeting with the newly appointed AJK prime minister and speaker.
According to a statement posted on X, AJK Prime Minister Iftikhar Gillani and Legislative Assembly Speaker Tariq Farooq called on Nawaz Sharif in Lahore. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz were also present in the meeting.
Nawaz, Shehbaz and Maryam congratulated Gillani and Farooq and expressed their best wishes for their tenure. Gillani and Farooq also thanked the PML-N leadership for “expressing confidence” in them.
According to the statement, Nawaz Sharif, who has thrice served as the country’s prime minister, shared a reform plan for the new government’s first 100 days with the AJK prime minister.
The party leadership directed the AJK government to follow Punjab’s development model and put the region on a path of innovation, modernisation and sustainable development.
The PML-N leaders also emphasised the need for immediate steps to address the problems faced by the people of AJK and improve service delivery across the territory. Gilani and Farooq expressed their resolve to work for the welfare of the AJK people and accelerate development in the region.
At the beginning of the current week, on August 24, forty-six newly elected members of the AJK Legislative Assembly took the oath, formally marking the start of the new parliamentary term following the 2026 general elections, with the PML-N emerging as the dominant parliamentary force.
PML-N-backed Barrister Iftikhar Gillani was sworn in as the 17th prime minister of AJK on Friday, completing the parliamentary set-up of the newly elected assembly. PPP’s Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin was appointed leader of the opposition.
In his maiden speech, Gillani said livelihood opportunities would be his government’s top priority, alongside reforms in education and healthcare. He also pledged to “digitalise the economy” and improve internet access across AJK.
The AJK elections were held in three phases under a revised schedule announced by AJK Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal on July 21.
The first phase covered all 13 constituencies in Mirpur Division, while polling in Muzaffarabad Division and the 12 refugee constituencies was held on August 2, followed by Poonch Division on August 10.
