PPP files no-confidence motion against AJK PM Anwarul Haq

MUZAFFARABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday 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 has “failed to retain the confidence of the House.” The Assembly Secretariat has 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.

The PPP has nominated Raja Faisal Rathore for the position of Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister.

According to PPP leader Chaudhry Yasin, Party leadership including President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and Faryal Talpur have expressed full confidence in Raja Faisal Rathore.

Faisal Rathore is the son of former AJK Prime Minister Mumtaz Rathore and currently serves as the Secretary General of the PPP in Azad Kashmir.

Chaudhry Yasin added that the party has sufficient numbers to secure his election as the new leader of the House.