Nawaz Sharif Says He Wants to Become PoK Prime Minister Ahead of Polls
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he would like to become the prime minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) if his party wins the upcoming elections in the region, saying he wants to personally oversee its development.
Speaking at an election rally in Muzaffarabad on Tuesday, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief said PoK holds a special place in his heart because of his family’s roots in Kashmir.
“If my party wins, I will ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to make me the prime minister of Kashmir (PoK) so that I can personally oversee the region’s development,” Nawaz Sharif said.
The remarks come ahead of elections in PoK, scheduled to be held between July 27 and August 10, where the PML-N is contesting against the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), its ally in Pakistan’s federal coalition government.
India’s Position on PoK
India has consistently maintained that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas under Pakistan’s control, are integral and inalienable parts of India.
New Delhi refers to the region as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and has repeatedly objected to elections conducted there, saying such exercises have no legal validity. India also does not recognise the legislative institutions established by Pakistan in PoK or Gilgit-Baltistan.
Why Does PoK Have a Prime Minister?
Unlike Pakistan’s provinces, PoK operates under a separate administrative structure that includes a president and a prime minister.
The arrangement dates back to 1947, when Pakistan-backed tribal forces entered the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Following the invasion, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession, under which the princely state acceded to India.
Pakistan did not formally integrate the territory as one of its provinces. Instead, it established a separate political framework for the region, a move widely seen as allowing Islamabad to maintain its position on the Kashmir dispute while administering the territory separately.
The PoK prime minister serves as the head of the regional government, while Pakistan continues to exercise significant influence over the area’s governance through constitutional and administrative mechanisms.
Nawaz Sharif’s comments have added a new political dimension to the ongoing election campaign, with the veteran leader indicating he would seek the post if the PML-N secures victory in the upcoming polls.
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