The AJK no-confidence motion has intensified as the PPP and PML-N joined forces to oust Azad Jammu Kashmir Prime Minister Anwarul Haq. Both parties, coalition partners in the federal government, met on Monday at the Presidency to discuss the future setup. They agreed that Haq should step down or face a no-trust vote in the AJK Legislative Assembly. The PML-N decided to support the PPP’s motion but will not join the new government.
After the meeting, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal told reporters that his party would back the AJK no-confidence motion for political stability. He said the PPP would form the next government, while the PML-N would remain in the opposition. Adviser Rana Sanaullah added that his party had lost confidence in Haq’s leadership, accusing his government of failing to perform its duties. He assured that free and fair elections would follow once the assembly completes its term next year.
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PPP senior leader Qamar Zaman Kaira strongly criticized the AJK government. He said the current administration had become a “problem instead of a problem-solver.” He welcomed the PML-N’s support, saying it strengthened the PPP’s position to remove the sitting prime minister. Kaira stressed that both parties were working together to ensure political stability in the region.
According to insiders, the PPP now holds 27 seats in the 52-member AJK Assembly after 10 new lawmakers joined on Sunday. With the PML-N’s backing, it has secured support from at least 36 members — enough to unseat Haq. The party also claims support from Sardar Atiq of the Muslim Conference and Sardar Hasan Ibrahim of the Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party. These numbers make the AJK no-confidence motion almost certain to succeed.
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Sources said Haq has three options: dissolve the assembly, resign, or face defeat in the no-trust vote. However, he is likely to resign and seek an “honorable exit.” Insiders added that Haq and six of his loyalists may sit on the opposition benches after his resignation. The final decision is expected today, marking a possible end to Haq’s tenure as AJK prime minister.