MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): Newly elected Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, has expressed deep gratitude to Allah Almighty and reaffirmed his commitment to lead with Unity and a sense of responsibility.
Addressing the Legislative Assembly, Faisal Rathore thanked the Party leadership and the people of Haveli( his constituency) for trusting him with the biggest office of the State.
He noted that the politics of AJK witnessed a historic moment as the outgoing Prime Minister welcomed the incoming leader of the house, an unusual display of political civility.
Reflecting on the past events, Faisal Rathore said that “some decisions made in the past by us were wrong,” adding that the Action Committee is a reality that must be recognized.
He said Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had expressed their confidence in my father and had nominated him as the then Prime Minister of AJK.
Today, the party leadership has expressed the same confidence in me, which I will try to fulfill.
He stressed that the public issues must be resolved with the resources available, though delays had occurred in the Past. Rathore, while addressing the assembly session, added that “his pen will not cause delay”.
He refuted the perception of the politicians that they belonged to an elite class. The PM AJK further said that he sold his only family house in 2021 to cover election expenses.
He revealed that his father, Mumtaz Rathore, made their home with the help of his friend. PM Faisal added that it is the politicians who make the bigger sacrifice in the state, yet are not being recognized.
“The biggest thing I have is vision and intention, and I will do it with the help of my colleague.”
The newly elected PM said that he will follow the guidelines set by his father and ex-PM of AJK, Mumtaz Rathore.
The PM outlined an ambitious reform agenda aimed at stabilizing the affairs of the state.
He emphasized that rebuilding trust with the government of Pakistan remains a top priority and called the current setup a “purely PPP government.
He shared that he has been in dialogue with JAAC in Muzafarabad, adding that some of their issues are genuine and others are purely expectations.
Announcement by PM AJK Faisal Rathore
The newly elected PM announced the following decision in his speech in the Assembly.
- Each Secretary will have only one official vehicle, and the number of Secretaries will be reduced to 20.
- Posts of special secretaries and senior secretaries will be abolished.
- The technical position will be merged into the Department of Education.
- Recruitment for the new position will be conducted through third-party hiring to ensure transparency.
- A new transport policy will be introduced Equal employment opportunities for women in all government sectors.
- Judicial reforms will be introduced to strengthen the justice system.
- The driver’s post will be upgraded to Grade 5.
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The AJK government will negotiate with the Government of Pakistan on agreements related to hydropower projects in the region.
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Grade 1 employees will receive one month’s additional salary as relief
