Islamabad, Aug 4 (UNI) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has nominated Abdul Qayyum Niazi, a senior member of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, as the next premier of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir where elections were held on July 25.
Pakistan Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that Imran had decided on Niazi after holding extensive consultations and reviewing all the proposals.
Azhar Mashwani, Punjab province chief minister's focal person for digital media, added that Niazi was a member of the PoK Legislative Assembly from the border area Abbaspur Poonch, Dawn reported.
"He is also the central joint secretary of the PTI," he said.
Imran Khan had on Friday and Saturday interviewed seven candidates for the position of PoK premier.
The PTI had won the polls, winning the largest number of seats. However, the opposition parties have protested the polls, saying they were rigged. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which has been winning the polls there, lost very badly this time.
India has slammed the elections in PoK as 'nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its illegal occupation'.
India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had on Thursday said that 'Pakistan has no locus standi on these Indian territories. We call upon Pakistan to vacate all Indian areas under its illegal occupation."
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