Swearing-in on Aug 25: Sardar Yaqoob Khan elected AJK President

Khan bagged 40 votes, while his opponent managed a mere 11 votes.

ISLAMABAD:

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) announced its new president on Friday as Sardar Yaqoob Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) clinched majority of the votes in AJK’s presidential race.

Khan bagged 40 votes, while his opponent Bhadar Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), managed to secure a mere 11 votes.

The newly elected president, while talking to a news channel, thanked his party workers, activists and the people of the liberated territory for their support and their faith in him.

He vowed to continue efforts for the welfare, progress, prosperity and development of the people of AJK.

He pledged to continue moral, diplomatic and political support for the struggle of the Kashmiris living in the occupied valley.

Sardar Yaqoob Khan will take oath as the president of AJK on August 25.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani congratulated the newly-elected president of AJK. In his felicitation message, the prime minister expressed confidence that President Sardar Yaqoob Khan would work for the betterment of the people of AJK. Prime Minister Gilani also expressed hope that the new AJK president would work towards strengthening the democratic institutions in AJK and utilise all opportunities to highlight the Kashmir cause at all forums, both locally and internationally.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th,  2011.