Assembly ousts Chaudhry Anwarul Haq
PM-elect vows to address public grievances while staying within limits of available resources
MUZAFFARABAD
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday voted to remove Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq from his post, replacing him with Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Raja Faisal Rathore.
The no-confidence motion was supported by 36 lawmakers, including those from the PPPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. Two members opposed the motion.
PPP’s candidate for the premier’s slot, Rathore, received 36 votes, with two against.
Overall, Rathore is the 16th AJK PM and the fourth of the current assembly. Those who have served in the top post during the incumbent assembly’s tenure, apart from Haq, include Abdul Qayyum Khan and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan.
Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar presided over Monday’s session, attended by lawmakers of the PPP, PML-N, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, including Leader of the Opposition, Khawaja Farooq Ahmad.
Strict security measures were put in place at the Assembly Secretariat, Ministers’ Block, and Prime Minister’s Secretariat.
‘Joint Awami Action Committee is a reality’
Addressing the Legislative Assembly after being elected, Rathore said that the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee is “a reality” and has to be recognised, pledging to address public grievances while staying within the limits of available resources.
The AJK PM-elect said the public often assumes politicians belong to a privileged class, “but we are not that kind of politicians.”
He revealed that his father had built a house, which he later sold to cover his election expenses. “Whatever assets I own today, you may review them even after my tenure as prime minister,” he added.
He acknowledged that some issues could have been resolved earlier, but were delayed. “As prime minister, I commit that no delay will come from my pen,” he said.
Rathore said Allah, the Almighty, placed a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of a political worker. “This responsibility is not just on me, but on all those who voted for me,” he noted.
