Who Rules Pakistani Kashmir? Leadership of AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan
“Pakistani Kashmir” is a shorthand for two separate, Pakistan-administered territories that together cover the western and northern parts of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which has its own constitution, parliament and prime minister, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), a larger area to the north governed through its own empowerment order since 2009. Neither is legally a province of Pakistan. Both are claimed in full by India, and both fall under the overall supervision of the Pakistani federal government in Islamabad.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir: Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore
The day-to-day head of government in AJK is its Prime Minister. As of November 2025 the office is held by Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, a member of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) who took power on 17 November 2025 after a successful motion of no-confidence removed his predecessor, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq (PML-N). Rathore leads a 53-member Legislative Assembly and reports to the ceremonial AJK President and, in practice, to the AJK Council chaired by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. AJK elections are held every five years.
Gilgit-Baltistan: Caretaker Chief Minister Yar Muhammad
Gilgit-Baltistan’s head of government is its Chief Minister, elected by the 33-seat Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly. Since 26 November 2025 the office has been held by Justice (retired) Yar Muhammad Khan as a caretaker chief minister, following the end of Haji Gulbar Khan’s tenure on 24 November 2025 and pending fresh general elections. The Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and serves as the constitutional representative of the federation.
Islamabad’s federal supervisory role
Ultimate policy direction for both territories rests with Pakistan’s federal government. The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan coordinates with Islamabad; security and foreign affairs are handled by the Pakistani military and the Foreign Ministry. The AJK Council — chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — retains power over 52 subjects including finance, taxation and the judiciary. Pakistan’s federal government holds all foreign-policy levers.
Disputed status and human rights
The whole of Jammu and Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since partition in 1947. Multiple UN Security Council resolutions (notably UNSCR 47 of 1948) called for a plebiscite that has never been held. Human Rights Watch has documented restrictions on political activity across AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, bans on independent nationalist parties (such as the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front), curbs on press freedom, and the prosecution of activists under sedition and anti-terrorism laws. A wave of 2024–2025 protests in Muzaffarabad and Gilgit demanded subsidized wheat and electricity and challenged federal tax jurisdiction.
| AJK Prime Minister | Faisal Mumtaz Rathore (PPP), since 17 November 2025 |
|---|---|
| AJK President | Ceremonial role (see AJK Constitutional Act) |
| AJK population | ~4.5 million · capital Muzaffarabad |
| Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister | Yar Muhammad Khan (caretaker), since 26 November 2025 |
| Gilgit-Baltistan population | ~2 million · capital Gilgit |
| Federal supervisor | Prime Minister of Pakistan (Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N) |
| Status | Disputed — administered by Pakistan, claimed by India |
| Constituting law (AJK) | Interim Constitution Act 1974 |
| Constituting law (GB) | Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009 |
| UN position | UNSC Resolution 47 (1948) calling for plebiscite, unimplemented |
Frequently asked questions
Who is the current leader of Pakistani Kashmir?
There is no single leader. The Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore (PPP, since 17 November 2025), heads AJK’s government, while Yar Muhammad Khan has been caretaker Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan since 26 November 2025.
Is Azad Kashmir part of Pakistan?
Legally no. AJK is a self-governing territory under the AJK Interim Constitution Act of 1974 with its own president, prime minister, and legislative assembly. Defence, foreign affairs, and currency remain with the Pakistani federal government.
Why is Kashmir disputed?
When British India was partitioned in 1947, the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir — ruled by a Hindu maharaja over a Muslim-majority population — acceded to India amid tribal invasion from Pakistan. India and Pakistan have fought four wars and multiple smaller conflicts over the territory. UN Security Council Resolution 47 (1948) called for a plebiscite that has never been held.
Who removed Chaudhry Anwarul Haq as AJK Prime Minister?
Haq, a member of Pakistan Muslim League-N, was ousted by a vote of no confidence in the AJK Legislative Assembly on 17 November 2025. The PPP’s Faisal Mumtaz Rathore was sworn in the same day.
Is Gilgit-Baltistan a province of Pakistan?
Not formally. The 2009 Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order gave the territory a legislative assembly and chief minister but stopped short of provincial status — in order to avoid undermining Pakistan’s formal position in the Kashmir dispute.
Who controls Indian-administered Kashmir?
Jammu and Kashmir on the Indian side was reorganized on 5 August 2019 when Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was revoked. It is now a Union Territory of India directly administered from New Delhi through a Lieutenant Governor.
How large is Pakistani-administered Kashmir?
AJK covers about 13,300 km² with a population of roughly 4.5 million. Gilgit-Baltistan covers about 72,500 km² with a population of around 2 million. Together they are roughly twice the size of New Jersey.