Azad Jammu and Kashmir, officially the State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity and constituting the western portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947. Azad Kashmir also shares borders with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the south and west, respectively. On its eastern side, Azad Kashmir is separated from the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir by the Line of Control (LoC), which serves as the de facto border between the Indian and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir. Geographically, it covers a total area of 13,297 km2 (5,134 sq mi) and has a total population of 4,045,366 as per the 2017 national census.
Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan was a Kashmiri revolutionary leader and politician, who led the 1947 Poonch Rebellion against absolute rule of the Maharaja in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and played a key role in the First Kashmir War, supporting Pakistan. He served as the President of Azad Kashmir for 13 years across four non-consecutive terms and still remains the longest-serving president of the state, since its establishment.
The Sudhanoti District, meaning the "heartland of Sudhans" or "Sudhan heartland"),
Sardar Muhammad Sayab Khalid Khan was a Pakistani politician. He was the Speaker of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly from 24 July 2001 through 24 July 2006, and visited different countries lobbying for the Kashmir issue.
Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry is an Azad Kashmiri politician who hails from Mirpur. He served as Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir between July 1996 to July 2001 and is currently serving as the President of Azad Kashmir since 25 August 2021.
Bandipore district is an administrative district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. It is one of the 20 districts in the Jammu and Kashmir. Bandipore town is the administrative headquarters of the district. Bandipore is located in the foothills of the snow-clad peaks of Harmukh overlooking the shores of Wular Lake and has produced hundreds of scholars and intellectuals. The district is known for its tourist places such as Wular Vintage Park, Athwatoo and Gurez valley. Before 1947, this town was a big trade and literary centre of Kashmir. This district was carved out from the erstwhile Baramulla district in 2007. The district is bounded by Kupwara district from the north, Baramulla district from west,Ganderbal district from the east, Kargil district in Ladakh, Neelum District in Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir and Astore district in Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan. Bandipore district is the only district in Kashmir Division that shares border with Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan region. This district occupies an area of 398 km2. The district has a population of 392,232 as per 2011 census.
Colonel Khan Muhammad Khan was a prominent Sudhan soldier and politician in Poonch, serving in the Legislative Assembly of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir until 1947. Later he served as the Chairman of the War Council during the 1947 Poonch Rebellion.
The President of Azad Kashmir, officially the President of the State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, is the constitutional and ceremonial head of state of Azad Kashmir.
Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan is an Azad Kashmiri politician and former Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He is a senior member of the Pakistan Muslim League (N).
Hattian Bala District is a district of Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. The town of Hattian Bala is where the district headquarters are located. The Hattian Bala District was a part of the Muzaffarabad District until 2009 when it was made a separate district.
The history of Azad Kashmir, a disputed part of the Kashmir region currently administered by Pakistan, is related to the history of the Kashmir region during the Dogra rule. Azad Kashmir borders the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the south and west respectively, Gilgit–Baltistan to the north, and the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the east. The region is claimed by India and has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947.
Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan is an Azad Kashmiri businessman and politician. He served as the President of Azad Kashmir from 25 August 2011 to 25 August 2016. He also served as the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir from 7 January 2009 to 22 October 2009. Beside politics, Khan is also serving as the Chairman of YK Group of Companies.
The Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, also known as AJK Legislative Assembly, is a unicameral legislature of elected representatives of the autonomous state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan, which is located in Muzaffarabad, the capital of the state. It was established under the Interim Constitution of AJK having a total of 53 seats, with 45 general seats, while 8 are reserved of which 5 are for women, 1 for Ulama, 1 for Technocrats and 1 for J&K nationals residing abroad.
The Government of Azad Kashmir is the state government which administers one of the territories of Pakistani-administered Kashmir territories of Azad Kashmir. The Azad Kashmir government consists of a president as head of state and a prime minister as chief executive, with the support of a council of ministers. The state assembly is the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan is a politician in Azad Jammu Kashmir. He belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz.
General elections were held in Azad Kashmir on 25 July 2021 after the expiry of the 5-year term of the previous Legislative Assembly. The elections were held in 33 constituencies of Azad Kashmir and 12 constituencies of the refugees of Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan.
The Interim Constitution of Azad Jammu and Kashmir provides for an apparently transitory autonomous parliamentary framework of self-governance and power sharing for the region of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, defined by the act as the "territories of the State of Jammu and Kashmir which have been liberated by the people of that State and for the time being under the administration of Government and such other territories as may hereafter come under its administration", however it does not pertain to areas such as Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan. The act succeeded and re-enacted the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Government Act, 1970 with modifications. It was promulgated under the Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. The constitution has been amended 14 times. It is based on the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan.
The Azad Jammu & Kashmir Election Commission is an independent, autonomous, permanent and constitutionally established body responsible for organizing and conducting elections to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Kashmir council, local governments, and the office of President of Azad Kashmir, as well as the delimitation of constituencies and preparation of electoral rolls. In accordance with the principles set down in the Interim Constitution of AJK, the commission makes the necessary measures to guarantee that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly, and in compliance with the law, and that corrupt practices are prevented.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council or AJK Council / Upper House AJ&K Assembly is a Special Institution / Autonomous body of the Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights Department of AJ&K. Transferred to the AJ&K Government under AJ&K Interim Constitution, 1974 in 2018 via Article 51-A
