AJK Assembly removes Anwarul Haq, elects Faisal Mumtaz Rathore as PM

MUZAFFARABAD: The no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq was successfully passed on Monday, ending his tenure following a decisive vote in the Legislative Assembly, ARY News reported.

During the session, lawmakers cast their votes through a show of hands. According to the Assembly’s count, 36 members voted in favour of the motion, while only 2 opposed it, clearing the way for a change in the AJK government.

Following the vote, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore was elected as the new Leader of the House. He secured 36 votes, formally becoming the next Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The transition marks a significant shift in the political landscape of AJK, with the Assembly now set to move forward under Rathore’s leadership.

PPP Files No-Confidence Motion Against AJK PM Anwarul Haq

On November 14, 2025, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) submitted a no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq to the AJK Assembly Secretariat.

According to sources, the motion carries the signatures of more than 17 members of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly. It has been filed under Article 18-A(4) of the 1974 Interim Constitution.

The motion states that Prime Minister Anwarul Haq “failed to retain the confidence of the House.” The Assembly Secretariat formally received the no-confidence motion.

Alongside the motion, a requisition to summon an immediate session of the AJK Assembly has also been submitted. Under constitutional requirements, the Speaker is obligated to convene a session within three days and ensure the election of a new prime minister within seven days.

Notably, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq was elected as a member of the Assembly on a PTI ticket and later became prime minister with the support of the PTI forward bloc, PPP, PML-N and the Muslim Conference.

Later, the PPP nominated Raja Faisal Rathore for the position of Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.