- Nawaz Sharif announced his desire to become the prime minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), stating he will ask his brother, PM Shehbaz Sharif, to appoint him.
- However, the constitution of PoK disqualifies Nawaz Sharif from becoming its prime minister due to domicile rules.
- PoK is set to hold elections between July 27 and August 10.
- Nawaz Sharif expressed that PoK is as important to him as his home province, Punjab, stating, "It is my second home. My ancestors migrated from Kashmir."
- Nawaz Sharif further promised to maintain ties with PoK, stating he would visit the region every three months to meet the people and take up their causes.
Nawaz Sharif, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has expressed a desire to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to "personally oversee" its development. He stated, "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."156
However, Sharif's ambitions are complicated by constitutional restrictions that bar him from the position. The Constitution of PoK stipulates that only individuals domiciled in the region and registered to vote there can hold the office of Prime Minister. Since Nawaz Sharif is from Punjab, he does not meet these criteria and is therefore ineligible.23
Sharif emphasized the importance of PoK to him, claiming, "It is my second home. My ancestors migrated from Kashmir." He also assured supporters that he would maintain ties with PoK, promising to visit every three months to engage with the community and address their concerns, regardless of the election outcome. PoK is scheduled to hold elections between July 27 and August 10, with Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party vying for influence in the region.4
As the political landscape evolves, the implications of Sharif's statements and the upcoming elections will be closely monitored, especially given India's stance that the entire Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India.
“At a rally, Nawaz called PoK his second home, said his ancestors were from Kashmir, and vowed to visit every three months if PML-N loses the upcoming elections (July 27–August 10). India maintains that the entire Jammu and Kashmir region is an integral part of its territory, rejecting any Pakistani claims.”
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