Chaudhry Yaseen, Faisal Rathore emerge as PPP's top candidates for AJK PM slot

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Chaudhry Yaseen and Faisal Rathore, are strong candidates for the premiership, ARY News reported, citing sources.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is set to announce the final decision on the PM candidate, which the party has already finalized.

PPP sources indicate that Chaudhry Yaseen has the backing of senior party leaders.

Conversely, some within the party want to see Faisal Rathore become the AJK PM.

Both Faisal Rathore and Chaudhry Yaseen are long-time party activists.

The PPP spokesman stated that no Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) within the party is worried

The sources added that a no-confidence motion will be presented solely on the orders of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, not at the whim of an individual.

Earlier on Friday, the parliamentary party meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) ended without any breakthrough as internal divisions over the nomination of the next AJK Prime Minister persisted.

According to sources, deep rifts remain within the PPP’s AJK parliamentary party, which is reportedly divided into three major groups — one led by Sardar Yaqoob Khan, another by Chaudhry Latif Akbar, and the third by Chaudhry Yasin. Despite repeated efforts, the central PPP leadership has so far failed to bring unity among the factions.

Sources said both factions refused to withdraw their support for their respective candidates, leading to a deadlock. The meeting concluded without a consensus on a single nominee for the top office.

The PPP leadership, after failing to persuade the divided parliamentary party, has now decided to take the final decision on the AJK Prime Minister’s nomination itself, party sources added.

It is expected that the central leadership will announce the name of the new Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Muzaffarabad in the coming days.