Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he wants to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) if his party wins the upcoming assembly elections.
Speaking at an election rally on Wednesday, Sharif said he wanted to personally oversee the region's development. However, Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir's Constitution does not allow him to hold the post because he is not a resident of the region.
Nawaz Sharif Expresses Desire to Lead POJK
While addressing supporters ahead of the POJK Assembly elections, Nawaz Sharif said he would ask his younger brother and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to appoint him as the region's Prime Minister if the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) wins the polls.
“If my party wins, I will ask PM Shehbaz Sharif to make me the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir so that I can personally oversee the region’s development,” said Nawaz, using the term Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) that Pakistan uses for POJK. Sharif also claimed that POJK was his second home and said his ancestors came from the region.
POJK Constitution Bars Nawaz Sharif From Holding the Post
Despite his remarks, Nawaz Sharif cannot legally become the Prime Minister of POJK. Under the Constitution of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, only a person who is domiciled in the region and registered as a voter there can become the Prime Minister.
Nawaz Sharif belongs to Pakistan's Punjab province and does not meet these constitutional requirements. As a result, he is not eligible to hold the office. His statement was widely viewed either as a political remark made during campaigning or as a promise that cannot be implemented under the existing law.
Sharif Promises to Stay Connected With POJK
Nawaz Sharif also assured voters that he would continue visiting the region even if his party failed to win the elections. He said he would travel to POJK every three months to meet local people and raise their concerns. The promise came as political parties intensified campaigning ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for Monday.
POJK Elections Take Place Amid Unrest
The elections come at a time when Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing widespread protests and political unrest. For several weeks, the region has experienced a major crackdown over a movement demanding greater autonomy.
During the protests, dozens of people have reportedly died, while hundreds have been injured or detained. Critics have accused the authorities of using force instead of engaging in dialogue with protesters. Pakistan's authorities have also banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the group leading the movement, by invoking anti-terrorism laws.
Autonomy Movement Gains Momentum
The protests initially began with a demand to abolish 12 seats in the POJK Assembly reserved for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. However, the movement has since grown into one of the biggest public campaigns against Pakistani rule in the region in recent years. Protesters have openly challenged Islamabad's control over POJK and accused the Pakistan Army of pushing the region towards instability and terrorism.
India's Position on Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir
India maintains that Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inseparable part of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The dispute dates back to 1947, when Pakistan invaded the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. India intervened after Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession, formally joining India.
Following United Nations-mediated hostilities, Pakistan retained control of nearly one-third of the former princely state's territory, which India says remains under illegal occupation. Pakistan administers the occupied territory as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
Pakistan also transferred the Shaksgam Valley, part of the larger Kashmir region, to China under the 1963 Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement. India does not recognise the transfer and continues to reject China's control over the area.