Chaudhry Latif Akbar
Chaudhry Latif Akbar | |
|---|---|
| چودھری لطیف اکبر | |
| President of Azad Kashmir | |
Acting | |
| In office 31 January 2026 – 25 August 2026 | |
| Prime Minister | Faisal Mumtaz Rathore |
| Preceded by | Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry |
| Succeeded by | Chaudhry Tariq Farooq (acting) |
| Speaker of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 3 June 2023 – 25 August 2026 | |
| Deputy | Riaz Gujjar |
| Preceded by | Chaudhry Anwarul Haq |
| Succeeded by | Chaudhry Tariq Farooq |
| Leader of the Opposition Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 4 August 2021 – 2 June 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin |
| Succeeded by | Khawaja Farooq Ahmed |
| Member of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 3 August 2021 – 24 August 2026 | |
| Succeeded by | Saqib Majeed Raja |
| Constituency | LA-31 Muzaffarabad-V |
| In office 24 July 2006 – 30 July 2016 | |
| Constituency | LA-27 Muzaffarabad-IV |
| Minister for Finance, Planning, and Development, Azad Kashmir | |
| In office 2 August 2011 – 30 July 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | Chaudhry Abdul Majid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 February 1948 |
| Party | Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) |
| Education | LL.B. |
| Alma mater | University of Peshawar |
Chaudhry Latif Akbar (Urdu: چوہدری لطیف اکبر) is a Pakistani politician who serves as the 14th Speaker of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. He is a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and has previously served as Leader of the Opposition, Minister for Finance, and as Acting President of Azad Kashmir for oath-taking duties.
Early life and education
Akbar was born on 4 February 1948 in a village in Muzaffarabad District.[1] He completed his LL.B. degree from the University of Peshawar.[1] He began his political involvement early and became vice president of the PPP Muzaffarabad district in 1976.[2]
Political career
Member of the Assembly
Akbar entered politics in the 1970s, becoming the vice president of the PPP Muzaffarabad district in 1976.[2] He was first elected to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in the 1985 general elections.[1]
He was re-elected to the Assembly from LA-27 Muzaffarabad-IV as a candidate of PPP in the 2006 Azad Kashmiri general election.[3]
After the election, the PPP nominated him for the position of Speaker, but he was unsuccessful. He received 8 votes and was defeated by Shah Ghulam Qadir, a candidate of All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJKMC), who received 35 votes.[4]
He was re-elected to the Assembly from LA-27 Muzaffarabad-IV as a candidate of PPP in the 2011 Azad Kashmiri general election.[5]
He contested the 2016 Azad Kashmiri general election from LA-27 Muzaffarabad-IV as a candidate of PPP, but was unsuccessful.[6]
The PPP nominated Akbar as the President of Azad Kashmir in 2016, but he was unsuccessful. He received 6 votes and was defeated by Masood Khan, a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)).[7]
He was re-elected to the Assembly from LA-31 Muzaffarabad-V as a candidate of PPP in the 2021 Azad Kashmiri general election. He received 22,194 votes and defeated Saqib Majeed Raja, a candidate of AJKMC.[8]
The joint opposition consisting of PPP and PML(N) nominated Akbar as the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir after the election, but he was unsuccessful. He received 15 votes and was defeated by Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi, a candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).[9]
He contested the 2026 Azad Kashmiri general election from LA-31 Muzaffarabad-V as a candidate of PPP, but was unsuccessful. He received 23,957 votes and was defeated by Saqib Majeed Raja, a candidate of PML(N).[10]
Ministerial roles
Akbar served as the Minister for Finance, Planning, and Development from 2 August 2011 to 2016.[11][12]
Leader of the Opposition (2021–2023)
Akbar served as the Leader of the Opposition from August 2021 to June 2023. During the 2023 Speaker's election, he was still officially holding the position despite PPP joining the ruling coalition.[13]
Speaker of the Assembly (2023–present)
On 3 June 2023, following the elevation of Chaudhry Anwarul Haq to Prime Minister, Akbar was elected Speaker of the Assembly with support from the PPP–PML(N) coalition, while the PTI boycotted the vote.[1][2]
Acting President (2025, 2026–present)
In November 2025, Akbar briefly assumed the duties of Acting President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir solely to administer the oath to Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore and his cabinet, as President Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry was unable to attend due to illness.[14] He assume the role again on 31 January 2026 due to the death of President Chaudhry.[15]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "PPP's Chaudhry Latif Akbar elected AJK assembly speaker". ARY News. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- 1 2 3 "PPP's Latif Akbar elected AJK speaker". Minute Mirror. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- ↑ "Ruling MC secures 20 seats, AJKPP 7: Manipulation of results alleged". Dawn. 13 July 2006. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "Atiq Ahmed Khan elected new PM of PoK". Hindustan Times. 24 July 2006. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ Ahad, Abdul (26 June 2011). "PPP emerges victorious in AJK polls; secures 20 seats". Brecorder. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
- ↑ "PML-N sweeps Azad Kashmir elections". The Nation. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "Masood Khan elected president of Azad Kashmir". The News International. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ "PTI wins big in AJK elections". 24 News HD. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ Naqash, Tariq (4 August 2021). "PTI's Abdul Qayyum Niazi elected new prime minister of AJK". Dawn. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
- ↑ LA-31 Muzaffarabad-V Form 27 (2026), 3 August 2026, retrieved 3 August 2026
- ↑ "18 AJK ministers sworn in". Dawn. 2 August 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
- ↑ "Accountability legislation: AJK govt forms body for law review". The Express Tribune. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- ↑ "Speaker's election: Akbar, Gujjar contest amid dramatic scenes". Dawn. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- ↑ Naqash, Tariq (19 November 2025). "PPP's Rathore sworn in as AJK premier". Dawn. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- ↑ Naqash, Tariq (2 February 2026). "AJK president laid to rest with state honours". Dawn. Retrieved 28 July 2026.