Azad Jammu and Kashmir, abbreviated as AJK 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. The territory shares a border to the north with Gilgit-Baltistan, together with which it is referred to by the United Nations and other international organizations as Pakistani-administered Kashmir. 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 the key instigator of the 1947 Poonch Rebellion in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in British India and the later establishment of Azad Kashmir under Pakistani administrative control. He served as the first President of Azad Kashmir. His dismissal in 1950 led to the 1955 Poonch Uprising against Pakistan. He served as the president thrice afterwards, ending his last term in 2001.
Major General (R) Muhammad Anwar Khan', is a career soldier and politician who served as the President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir 25 August 2001 to 23 August 2006. He was replaced by Raja Zulqarnain Khan. He belonged to an elite Sudhan family. His efforts to bring Army Public School in Taien brought useful result in 2021 when APS Taien started it's educational functionality as National Obligation. He Died on 19th January 2023 & His Funeral was offered in Army Race Course Graveyard on 20th January 2023. Many officials from Pak Army attended the Funeral.
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 a politician who hails from Azad Kashmir. 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.
Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan was elected as Prime Minister twice and president twice of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). He was the longest-serving Prime Minister of AJK.
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.
Raja Farooq Haider Khan is a Kashmiri politician and former Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K). He is a senior member of the Pakistan Muslim League (N).
Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan was elected the 22nd president of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan on 25 August 2011. Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan was a business tycoon before a politician he owns a trading company, hotels, towers, housing societies, and overseas business. He owns the YK group of companies.
Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan is a Kashmiri legislator and the current Minister for Finance, Health & P&D of Pakistan administered Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Najeeb Naqi Khan took the oath for the Office of Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir on 7 August 2016. He belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz.
Major General Muhammad Hayat Khan was an Azad Kashmiri politician who served as the 15th President of Azad Kashmir from 1 November 1978 to 31 January 1983.
LA-14 Bagh-I is a constituency of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly which is currently represented by Attique Ahmed Khan of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJKMC). It covers the area of Dhirkot Tehsil in Bagh District.
LA-19 Poonch & Sudhnoti-II is a constituency of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly which is currently represented by Sardar Aamir Altaf Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League (N). It covers the area of Hajira Tehsil in Poonch District.
LA-21 Poonch & Sudhnoti-IV is a constituency of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly which is currently represented by Hassan Ibrahim Khan of the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP). It covers half of the area of Rawalakot Tehsil in Poonch District.
LA-23 Poonch & Sudhnoti-VI is a constituency of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly which is currently represented by Sardar Muhammad Hussain Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). It covers the areas of Mang Tehsil and Pallandri Tehsil in Sudhanoti District.
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.
Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi is a Kashmiri politician from Azad Jammu and Kashmir who was the 13th Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir from August 2021 to April 2022. He has been a member of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative assembly since August 2021. He has been the president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Azad Jammu and Kashmir chapter since April 2023.
Chaudhry Anwarul Haq is a Kashmiri politician from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). He is the current and 15th Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir since April 2023. He previously served as the Speaker of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from August 2021 to April 2023.
LA-10 Kotli-III is a constituency of Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly which is currently represented by Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). It covers half of Kotli Tehsil in Kotli District.
LA-26 Neelum-II is a constituency of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly which is currently represented by Mian Abdul Waheed of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). It covers the area of Sharda Tehsil of Neelum District.
