Azad Jammu and Kashmir government appoints seven PSC members during ongoing elections sparking opposition criticism.

On August 8, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government announced that seven individuals had been appointed to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for a three‑year term. The new members named in the notification are Midhat Shehzad, Munir Hussain Chaudhry, Dr Liaqat Hussain, Muhammad Zahid Khan, Dr Abdul Qudoos Khan, Dr Abdul Hameed, and Muhammad Saleem Khan. Opposition parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League‑Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf, said the appointments were politically motivated. A PTI senior leader, Khawaja Farooq, criticized the timing, stating that making such decisions during the election process was "not morally good" and that they should have been left to the new government. The PSC is responsible for conducting competitive examinations and overseeing recruitment of public‑sector posts across AJK, making its composition politically significant, especially during a transition period. The government has not yet responded to the opposition’s criticism or explained why the appointments were made while the election process is still underway. The move is likely to heighten debate over the role of the outgoing administration in filling key public institution positions during an ongoing electoral cycle.