A no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq is expected to be submitted today in the Legislative Assembly Secretariat. The motion will be filed by a coalition of opposition parties, including the PPP, PML-N, and breakaway members of the forward bloc. The PPP claimed support from over 30 assembly members, increasing the chances of its success.
Last night, the PPP instructed its members to travel to Muzaffarabad as the motion could be filed at any time today. The motion also lists a new candidate for the AJK prime minister post, while PML-N members have added their signatures in support. If the motion is approved, the Assembly will elect a new prime minister in the coming days.
Read more: AJK political shakeup: No–confidence motion faces major delays
The AJK Legislative Assembly has 53 members, but one PTI member, Mohammad Iqbal, is in the UK and will not vote. Of the remaining 52 members, PPP holds 17 seats, PML-N 9, forward bloc 10, PTI 5, Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party 1, and All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference 1.
Chaudhry Anwarul Haq assumed office on April 20, 2023, and his tenure has seen protests by the Joint Public Action Committee, which left nearly 20 people dead, including police officers. Opposition leaders argue that a leadership change is necessary to restore political stability in the region.
Read more: PPP set to move no–confidence motion against AJK PM within days
The PPP has nominated three strong candidates for the prime minister position: party president Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, and Minister Faisal Rathore. Assembly sessions are expected within three to seven days after the motion’s submission.