ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has achieved the necessary number of members to form the government in Azad Kashmir after nine ministers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) forward bloc announced their inclusion in the PPP.
Five PTI ministers — Chaudhry Yasir, Muhammad Hussain, Chaudhry Muhammad Akhlaq, Chaudhry Arshad, and Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed — met Faryal Talpur and Chaudhry Riaz and officially joined the PPP. Later, four more ministers from the PTI forward bloc — Faheem Akhtar Rabbani, Abdul Majeed Khan, Muhammad Akbar Ibrahim, and Asim Sharif Butt — also joined the party.
Faryal Talpur welcomed the new members, saying the PPP has always been the true representative of the people of Azad Kashmir and will continue to fight for their political and economic rights.
Additionally, Azad Kashmir’s Minister for Higher Education, Zafar Iqbal Malik, also joined the PPP after meeting with Faryal Talpur and Chaudhry Riaz, raising the PPP’s total strength in the legislative assembly to 27 members.
According to PPP sources, the party plans to form the government without PML-N’s support. Faryal Talpur will host a dinner at Sindh House in Islamabad tonight at 10 PM, attended by PPP parliamentary members, migrant seat representatives, and members of the Barrister Sultan group.
The Barrister Sultan group has pledged its votes to the PPP, with five members from the group and five from migrant seats supporting the PPP. Two more members’ support has been kept confidential.
With these alliances, the PPP now commands the backing of over 30 members, ensuring a majority in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
Yesterday, President Asif Ali Zardari had approved a no-confidence move and authorized the PPP to form the new government in Azad Kashmir.
