AJK PM Abdul Qayyum Niazi resigns amid political crisis

MUZAFFARABAD – Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi has tendered his resignation after consultation with the ousted premier Imran Khan.

Niazi, who was elected as the 13th Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir last year, sent his resignation to the president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

His resignation comes after 25 members in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly moved a resolution for a vote of no-confidence against him.

The no-confidence resolution filed against AJK PM said the prime minister has lost the confidence of the [PTI] parliamentary party for not implementing the party's manifesto, for resorting to bad governance, nepotism, and violation of merit, and for not highlighting the Kashmir issue.

Earlier in the day, the AJK premier also terminated five members of his cabinet over misconduct and suspicious activities. Tanveer Ilyas, Abdul Majid Khan, Ali Shan, Khawaja Farooq and Chaudhry Muhammad Akbar were among the terminated lawmakers.

Niazi also held a meeting with ousted Pakistani PM Imran Khan on Wednesday, in which he apprised the latter about the alleged conspiracy being hatched against him.