MUZZAFARABAD: A no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq is likely to be submitted today (Friday) in the Legislative Assembly Secretariat.
The motion will be filed by a coalition of opposition parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and the breakaway members of the forward bloc.
Last night, the PPP informed its members to travel to Muzaffarabad, as the motion will be filed at any time on November 14.
The motion also includes signatures from PML-N members and lists a new candidate for the position of AJK prime minister. The PPP claimed that it has garnered support from over 30 members of the assembly for the success of the no-confidence motion.
Once the motion is submitted, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is expected to convene within three to seven days, with the motion to be formally presented during the session. If successful, a new prime minister will be elected.
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.
The PPP has nominated three strong candidates for the position of AJK prime minister: party president Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Chaudhry Latif Akbar, and Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Faisal Rathore.
