Iftikhar Gilani received his early education in Islamabad. He then completed his law studies in Britain and obtained a bar-at-law degree in 2005. After finishing his studies, he practised law for some time.
He began practical politics in 2011. He contested a by-election from Muzaffarabad city on a PML-N ticket. He defeated Sardar Usman Atiq, son of former prime minister Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan and the joint candidate of the PPP. It was the first victory of his political and parliamentary career.
He also won the 2016 general elections, after which he was appointed Azad Kashmir’s Education Minister.
As Education Minister, Iftikhar Gilani focused on introducing various reforms in the education department. During his tenure, steps were taken to improve teachers’ attendance and to make the administrative system of educational institutions more effective.
However, in the 2021 general elections he lost to Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, the candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). In the 2026 elections he could not win against Mukhtar Abbasi, the candidate of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Despite his election defeat, PML-N leader Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif issued Iftikhar Gilani a ticket for a technocrat seat.
Iftikhar Gilani belongs to a Muzaffarabad family, several of whose members have played an important role in Azad Kashmir politics. Syed Mumtaz Ali Gilani of his family was elected a member of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly in 1985 and later also served as a minister.
Syed Nisar Gilani of the same family was also prominent in local government politics in Muzaffarabad. He was elected mayor of the Muzaffarabad Municipal Corporation three times. The current Mayor of Muzaffarabad, Sikandar Gilani, also belongs to the family.
In the recent local government elections, Iftikhar Gilani performed strongly in his constituency and got a PML-N mayor elected for Muzaffarabad city.
Sikandar Gilani was elected a PML-N councillor in the local government elections. PML-N had him elected mayor of Muzaffarabad city, and Iftikhar Gilani played the central role in it.
Thus, Iftikhar Gilani’s political journey began in a family whose roots lie in business and social service as well as in Azad Kashmir politics.
Coming into practical politics from the legal profession, Iftikhar Gilani has twice represented the Azad Kashmir Assembly. He held the education portfolio and later continued his political activities as a senior PML-N leader.
He has now become Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, the most important stage of his long political journey. The current political situation in the Poonch Division is the biggest challenge before him.
