Atiq A Khan elected PM of POK

Amid allegations of rigging and malpractices by the Opposition parties, Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan, leader of the Muslim Conference, has been elected the new prime minister of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Atiq secured 35 votes in the 49-member Assembly, which went to polls on July 11.

Ishaq Zafar of the Pakistan People's Party (POK wing) who opposed him, won eight votes.

Members of the third largest group in the house, the People's Muslim League, stayed away from the voting, alleging irregularities in the polls.

Atiq is the son of Qayyum Khan, a former POK president,  who continues to head the party. He succeeds the outgoing prime minister Hayat Khan, who is tipped to get elected as President of the province as the incumbent Retired General Anwar Khan is expected to step down.

All opposition parties, including PPP, have questioned the results of the polls and charged the ruling Muslim Conference, which has returned to power, of rigging them with the help of the Pakistan security establishment. They plan to launch an agitation.

The Muslim Conference, however, denied this and said that people have reposed confidence in it following the 'good work' done by it to rehabilitate thousands of people affected by the last year's earthquake.

Before Atiq's election, Shah Ghulam Qadir of the ruling Muslim Conference was elected as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. He got 35 votes.

His rival from the People's Party, Lateef Akbar, bagged eight votes. The Muslim Conference also won the seat of deputy speaker.