Who is Dr Najeeb Naqi?

Dr Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan's political career, which began in Sudhnoti in Poonch division more than three decades ago, has taken him from the Legislative Assembly to the Kashmir Council and several key ministerial portfolios. He is now the PML-N's candidate for president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir AJK. The 62-year-old politician comes from a prominent political family. His grandfather, Colonel Khan Muhammad Khan, is remembered in AJK's political history as the "Baba-e-Poonch", while his father, Colonel Muhammad Naqi Khan, was also active in politics. Following his father's death, Dr Naqi entered practical politics in the 1990s and was first elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly in the 1991 elections. During that term, he served as parliamentary secretary for health and planning and development. He was re-elected to the Assembly in 1996 on the Muslim Conference MC ticket and subsequently served as a member of the AJK Council from 2001 to 2006. In the 2006 elections, he again won an Assembly seat on the MC ticket and served in the government, holding portfolios including health, population welfare, colleges and information technology. Dr Naqi joined the PML-N and was elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly on the party ticket in the 2011 elections. He retained his seat in 2016 and served as a minister for several key departments, including health, finance and planning and development, until 2021. The PML-N's central leadership nominated him this month as its candidate for the AJK presidency. His political career has thus spanned multiple roles as an elected legislator, parliamentary secretary, Kashmir Council member and cabinet minister culminating in his nomination for the AJK's highest constitutional office. The End By M A Mir MUZAFFARABAD, September 24: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir AJK Legislative Assembly will elect the new president today (Thursday), with PML-N nominee Dr Muhammad Najeeb Naqi Khan facing PPP candidate Chaudhry Latif Akbar in a two-way contest. All 46 members of the Assembly will cast their votes, with the ruling PML-N and its ally holding 32 seats against the PPP's 14. Polling will be held at the Legislative Assembly Secretariat from 10am to 1pm followed by counting and announcement of the result. Dr Naqi has submitted his nomination papers on behalf of the PML-N, while Chaudhry Latif Akbar is contesting on the PPP ticket.