MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English/ Sakhavat Sadozai): Incumbent Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq has lost the numerical majority in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly as the Bilawal Bhutto-led party gained the support of several Legislative Assembly members from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) forward bloc on Sunday.
With having the support of over 30 legislators, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party has now become the largest parliamentary party in the state assembly, also reducing reliance on the PML-N for government formation.
This development came ahead of a meeting between the PPP and PML-N’s top leadership scheduled for today (Monday), in which they are expected to take decisions regarding AJK government formation.
The President and the Majid Khan Groups also announced their unconditional support for the Pakistan Peoples’ Party.
With Zafar Malik, the Minister of Colleges from the PTI forward bloc joining the PPP, the number of PPP members in the assembly has reached around 30.
AJK ministers
As many as members of the AJK Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf forward bloc, including ministers, formally joined the Pakistan Peoples’ Party.
Among those who joined the Peoples Party are ministers Sardar Fahim Akhtar Rabbani, Sardar Muhammad Hussain, Chaudhry Akhlaq, Chaudhry Rashid, Zafar Iqbal Malik, Yasir Sultan, and Chaudhry Arshad.
Former ministers and assembly members, refugees residing in Pakistan, Abdul Majid Khan, Akbar Ibrahim, and Asim Sharif Butt also became allies of the Peoples Party.
Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq also has contacts with the top leadership of the Peoples Party.
The Prime Minister has two options left now: either resign or face a no-confidence motion.
Anwar-ul-Haq, who became Prime Minister with the support of over 40 legislators, no longer has even four assembly members with him.
