MUZAFFARABAD – The no-confidence motion against Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq has succeeded, and Faisal Mumtaz has been elected as the new Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir.
In a session of the Azad Kashmir Assembly chaired by Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, the no-confidence motion was presented against Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq.
Faisal Mumtaz Rathore will become the 16th Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir. His oath-taking ceremony is expected tomorrow, Tuesday.
The no-confidence motion was submitted by Sardar Javed Ayub and Chaudhry Qasim Majeed along with others, proposing Faisal Mumtaz Rathore as the new leader of the House.
During voting, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore secured 36 votes, while only 2 votes were cast against him. A simple majority of 27 votes was required to pass the no-confidence motion. Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq had been elected in April 2023 with 48 votes but chose to face the motion instead of resigning.
Faisal Mumtaz Rathore will be the fourth Prime Minister of the current Assembly.
Strict security arrangements were made in the city before the voting. The oath-taking of the new Prime Minister is expected tomorrow, with senior leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party likely to attend.
The new government faces two major political challenges:
- Implementing agreements with the Action Committee, which may prove difficult.
- Addressing PML-N’s demand for early elections, which will be a major test.
Limiting the cabinet to 20 ministers will also be a challenge, while today’s vote is expected to set a new direction for Azad Kashmir’s politics.
