MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s Masood Khan has been elected 27th Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) president by a joint electoral college comprising 55 members of the AJK Legislative Assembly and the Kashmir Council with two-third majority.
Masood secured 42 votes. AJK Prime Minister Farooq Haider proposed the name of Masood Khan on behalf of his majority parliamentary party. All Jammu Kashmir Muslim Conference and Jamat-e-Islami also supported his candidature.
Masood enjoys full confidence of the assembly and the council.
Masood has thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for nominating him as the president. Premier Sharif has appreciated the role of Masood Khan in highlighting the Kashmir cause during his various diplomatic assignments, particularly during his tenure as permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN.
Masood has worked with the UN in New York and Geneva and other multilateral forums for more than 20 years. He became president of the UN Security Council in January 2013. He was chairman of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Geneva, where he also represented the Group of 77.
Observers expect the Kashmir movement may gather momentum as the newly elected president has a proven record as an ardent campaigner for the rights of the people of India-occupied Kashmir. Masood was born in Rawalakot and studied there. He was retired in BPS-22 from Foreign Services of Pakistan.
