ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is poised to take control of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government after securing the support of a forward bloc in the legislative assembly. A dinner hosted by Faryal Talpur, In-Charge of PPP AJK affairs, at Sindh House in Islamabad on Sunday night marked the latest show of strength for the party.
Several AJK ministers and lawmakers, including Yasir Sultan, Chaudhry Arshad, Sardar Muhammad Hussain, and Chaudhry Akhlaque, attended the event. Others present included Majid Khan, Akbar Ibrahim, Faheem Akhtar Kiyani, and Asim Sharif Butt, alongside Education Minister Malik Zafar Iqbal and other legislators.
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Sources within the party revealed that the PPP has now claimed the backing of over 30 members of the AJK Assembly, giving it a comfortable majority. With the numbers complete, the party is expected to soon submit a no-confidence motion against the incumbent AJK Prime Minister.
Earlier, five AJK ministers — including Chaudhry Yasir Sultan, Sardar Muhammad Hussain, Chaudhry Muhammad Ikhlaq, Chaudhry Arshad Hussain, and Chaudhry Muhammad Rashid — formally joined the PPP after meeting Faryal Talpur at Zardari House. The move signals a major political shift in the region, as the PPP is set to form the government without the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
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Faryal Talpur welcomed the new members, saying their inclusion would strengthen the PPP’s position in AJK. The joining ministers expressed confidence in the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari, vowing to work for the development and prosperity of the people of Azad Kashmir under the PPP’s banner.