- Special session of assembly convened for the vote today.
- PML-N backs motion but opts not to join AJK government.
- Speaker Latif Akbar will chair legislative assembly session.
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly is set to vote on the no-confidence motion filed against Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq today (Monday).
A special session of the assembly has been convened for the vote at 3pm today (Monday) and will be chaired by Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar. The resolution for a vote of no-confidence against Haq was submitted to the assembly secretariat on Friday afternoon.
The Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has nominated Faisal Rathore as its candidate for the position of AJK premier. Rathore also enjoys the support of PML-N.
Strict security measures have been put in place at the Assembly Secretariat, Ministers’ Block and Prime Minister’s Secretariat. Only members of the assembly and employees of the Assembly Secretariat will be allowed entry. Media representatives will be permitted only if they have been issued passes. All members of the assembly will enter the House together.
The PPP moved to consolidate its government in the autonomous region shortly after President Asif Ali Zardari revealed the political strategy last month.
The party bolstered its strength in the Legislative Assembly when 10 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers joined the PPP on October 26 during a meeting with President Zardari’s sister, Faryal Talpur, at Zardari House in Islamabad.
Among those who joined the PPP were 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.
Later, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also tendered its support for the no-confidence motion, but decided against joining the government’s fold.
The no-confidence motion requires the backing of 27 lawmakers for a simple majority, but with PML-N’s support, the PPP claimed to have secured 37 members.
In the 2021 general elections in Azad Kashmir, PTI won 26 out of 45 constituencies. With six reserved seats, the party formed the government with the support of 32 members in the 53-member House.
On 3 August 2023, the region’s high court cancelled the registration of PML-N, PPP, and PTI with the Azad Kashmir Election Commission for not following the correct procedure. The PPP and PML-N had their registrations restored after completing the required documentation.
However, PTI has not yet fulfilled the requirements and therefore remains unregistered as a political party with the Election Commission.
Since its 32 members of assembly now hold the status of independent members, 28 of them have joined the PPP and PML-N.
Members of the assembly, who were elected on PTI tickets in 2021, will not be subject to the anti-floor-crossing law if they change their political allegiance.
In the history of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the seventh vote of no-confidence since 1975 has been tabled.
In 2021, PTI won the elections and formed the government. PTI founder Imran Khan appointed Sardar Qayyum Niazi as the prime minister. Later, upon Qayyum Niazi’s refusal to resign, PTI tabled a no-confidence motion in 2022. After its success, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas was elected Prime Minister. When Sardar Tanveer was disqualified in a contempt of court case, rebellion erupted within PTI.
On 22 April 2023, the then speaker of the assembly, Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, presided over the session and was elected prime minister with the support of 48 assembly members.
If the vote of no-confidence is approved, joint PPP candidate Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore will become the 16th Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir.
— With additional input from The News
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