MUZAFFARABAD: (Safeer Raza Chughtai): Political uncertainty continues to grip Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as preparations begin for the possible election of the 16th Prime Minister following a fresh no-confidence motion submitted against incumbent Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq.
Since the formation of the current Legislative Assembly after the 2021 general elections, AJK has witnessed unusual political instability, with two prime ministers already replaced, including Abdul Qayyum Niazi, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.
Anwarul Haq is also likely to be ousted after voting during the legislative assembly session on November 17.
A no-confidence motion ousted Abdul Qayyum Niazi, and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas was removed through a court decision.
Anwarul Haq secured office with 48 votes in the 53-member house. Now, a new no-confidence move with 17 signatures has been submitted against him.
PPP sources claim that they have the support of 36 members, which would be enough to remove the sitting prime minister and pave the way for the election of AJK’s 16th Prime Minister.
In this evolving situation, the political profile of Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, considered a strong contender for the top office, is gaining significant prominence.
Belonging to Palangi Mumtazabad in Haveli district, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore comes from a well-known political family in AJK.
His father, Mumtaz Hussain Rathore, served as the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, shaping the early political understanding of Faisal Rathore, who grew up witnessing his father’s political influence.
Faisal Mumtaz Rathore’s Political Journey
Faisal Rathore first contested elections from LA-17 Haveli Kahuta in 2006. In the 2011 elections, he was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly on a Pakistan Peoples Party ticket and served as the Minister of Education and Minister of Electricity in the cabinet of Chaudhry Abdul Majeed. In 2016, he was arrested in a political case, but was later found innocent.
On March 23, 2017, Faisal Rathore was appointed Secretary General of the Pakistan Peoples Party Azad Kashmir, and has held this position to this day. He played an active role in both parliamentary affairs and party reorganization.
He was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly for the second time in the 2021 elections and played a strong opposition role.
In 2023, he was elected as the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development in the coalition government of Chaudhry Anwarul Haq and was also appointed as the head of the negotiation committee with the Awami Action Committee.
He has also undertaken multiple foreign visits to highlight the Kashmir freedom movement, effectively raising the voice of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination at international platforms.
