Rathore Leads Race as AJK Moves to Unseat Haq

News Desk

Islamabad: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is bracing for another dramatic shift in its political landscape as the Legislative Assembly meets today (Monday) to vote on a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq — a move that could pave the way for Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore to take over as the region’s next premier.

The special session, scheduled for 3pm and presided over by Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, follows the submission of the no-confidence resolution to the assembly secretariat on Friday afternoon. 

The vote marks what would be the seventh no-confidence attempt in AJK’s political history since 1975, underscoring the region’s long-running cycle of shifting loyalties and fragile coalitions.

PPP Consolidates Power

The PPP, led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, entered the vote with strong momentum after nominating Rathore for the top office and securing the backing of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). With PML-N’s support, the party claims it has secured 37 members, well above the 27 needed for a simple majority.

The party’s advantage stems from a major political realignment in late October, when 10 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers joined the PPP during a meeting at Zardari House in Islamabad with Faryal Talpur, sister of President Asif Ali Zardari. 

The defecting members included Muhammad Hussain, Chaudhry Yasir, Chaudhry Muhammad Akhlaq, Chaudhry Arshad, Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed, Zafar Iqbal Malik, Faheem Akhtar Rabbani, Abdul Majid Khan, Muhammad Akbar Ibrahim, and Asim Sharif Butt.

The PPP’s position further strengthened as 28 out of PTI’s 32 members—all now classified as independent lawmakers—moved towards the PPP and PML-N after PTI failed to meet registration requirements with the AJK Election Commission. 

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PTI remains unregistered, unlike PPP and PML-N, which restored their status after completing the necessary documentation.

Because of this technical lapse, lawmakers originally elected on PTI tickets in 2021 may switch allegiance without attracting anti-floor-crossing penalties, accelerating the collapse of PTI’s once-commanding majority.

From PTI Dominance to Political Unraveling

PTI won the 2021 AJK elections with 26 general seats, forming a government with 32 members in the 53-seat House after securing six reserved seats. Since then, internal rifts, disqualifications, and shifting alliances have steadily eroded the party’s standing.

The turbulence began when Imran Khan’s nominated prime minister, Sardar Qayyum Niazi, refused to resign, prompting a successful PTI-led no-confidence vote against him in 2022. 

Sardar Tanveer Ilyas was then elected but disqualified in a contempt of court case months later, triggering further fragmentation.

Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq ascended to the premiership on 22 April 2023, after presiding over the session as speaker and securing support from 48 assembly members — a rare supermajority that quickly dissolved as political blocs realigned.

Assembly Prepares for High-Stakes Vote

Amid the charged political atmosphere, strict security arrangements have been enforced around the Assembly Secretariat, Ministers’ Block, and the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. Entry is restricted to assembly members and Secretariat staff, while media access requires official passes. All lawmakers will enter the House together under coordinated protocol.

A New AJK Premier on the Horizon

If today’s no-confidence motion succeeds — as political numbers currently suggest — PPP’s joint candidate, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, will be elected as the 16th Prime Minister of Pakistan-administrated Kashmir, marking another significant reshuffle in a region where political loyalties shift rapidly and coalitions remain constantly in flux.