AJK Legislative Assembly to elect leader of house today

MUZZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will resume its session in Muzaffarabad on Monday to elect new prime minister.

The AJK assembly will elect the leader of the House as the state’s High Court disqualified former Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas in a court contempt case on 11th April.

Sardar Tanveer Ilyas was elected from AJK Legislative Assembly Constituency, LA-15 Bagh-2.

Under Article 17 of the Assembly rules clause 16, the prime minister should be elected immediately in the session of the legislature. The leader of the house could not be elected owing to the adjournment of the legislative session for two days continuously.

Political wrangling

After disqualification of Azad Kahmir Prime Minister Tanvir Ilyas, election of the new prime minister has caused headache for the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The Forward Block in the party has claimed to have reached to a deal with the opposition for election of the new prime minister.

Barrister Sultan Mehmood Group has named Chaudhry Akhlaq and Chaudhry Rasheed as its candidates for the coveted office of the AJK PM.

In case of an alliance between the opposition and Sultan Mehmood group, their count in the legislative assembly will reach to 26, while 27 votes required for election of the prime minister in the legislature, which have 52 members strength. Thus, the solitary vote of Muslim Conference’s Sardar Ateeq Ahmed, a former prime minister of the region, has got strategic importance.

Barrister Sultan’s group, which is comprises of six legislators, could play the kingmaker’s role. Their support could guide a candidate to the office of the prime minister.

Meanwhile, Chaudhry Yaseen, Chaudhry Latif and Faisal Mumtaz from the opposition benches have also entered in the race for the PM office.