Imran Khan expected to finalise PoK PM candidate today

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 3 (ANI): Amid allegations of rigging and dubious victory of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to finalise a candidate for the office of PoK premier on Tuesday.

Citing sources, Geo TV reported that Khan, the Chairman of PTI will be convening a parliamentary party meeting jointly chaired by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Ali Amin Gandapur and former prime minister of PoK Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry to finalise candidate for the prime minister of PoK. The PoK Legislative Assembly session was set to begin at 10:00 am today with newly elected members to be sworn in after which the speaker of the assembly and the deputy speaker will be elected.

The new speaker and the deputy speaker will also take the oath of office today as well, reported Geo News. Earlier on July 30, Khan had interviewed elected members of the PoK Legislative Assembly for the post of prime minister. Barristers Sultan Mahmood, Khawaja Farooq, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan and Azhar Sadiq had separate meetings with Imran Khan.

The PTI emerged as the largest political party in the PoK Legislative Assembly following the recently held elections on July 25 in the territory. The party will consequently form a government in the region. The PTI managed to secure a total number of 32 seats (including reserved seats) while the PPP won 12 seats and the PML-N has managed to secure seven seats. PoK elections were marred with rigging, violence and murder under the watchful eye of the Pakistani military establishment itself.

The aforementioned elections have also proved to be a money-grabbing event. Prior to July 25, sector commander of PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan Brigadier Naeem Malik was caught accepting bribes from PTI candidates. (ANI)