MUZZAFARABAD (Dunya News) – A no-confidence motion has been filed against Azad Jammu & Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq.
The motion was submitted by members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the AJK Legislative Assembly, with signatures of more than 17 members.
Lawmakers who submitted the motion include Javed Ayub, Qasim Majeed, Rafiq Naeeri, Malik Zafar, and Ali Shan Soni.
Meanwhile, the PPP has nominated Faisal Rathore as its candidate for the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the party always makes decisions through mutual consultation and that the decision to submit the no-confidence motion had been taken. He added that the PPP will form the government in Azad Kashmir.
He further stated that Azad Kashmir is close to the party’s heart, and the PPP will work to bring ease and development to the Kashmiri people. “We are in a position to form the government and have the required numbers, so we do not need anyone else’s support,” he said.
“We are in a position to form the government. We have the required numbers, so we do not need anyone’s support,” he said.
PPP Azad Kashmir President Chaudhry Yasin said that Shaheed Benazir Bhutto always prioritised the Kashmir issue, and President Asif Ali Zardari also raised the right to self-determination of Kashmiris at every forum. “PPP and Kashmir share a deep bond,” he added.
He said the PPP’s position in Azad Kashmir is very strong, and the party made this decision after reviewing the current political situation. “Forming a government in Azad Kashmir is not a bed of roses but a crown of thorns,” he remarked.
The AJK Legislative Assembly has a total of 53 members, although one member from PTI, Mohammad Iqbal, is currently residing in the UK and will not participate in the voting process. Of the remaining 52 members, PPP holds 17 seats, PML-N has 9, the forward bloc has 10, PTI holds 5, Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party has 1, and the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference holds 1 seat.
Chaudhry Anwarul Haq became the Prime Minister of AJK on April 20, 2023. During his tenure, violent protests by the Joint Public Action Committee resulted in the deaths of nearly 20 people, including police officers.