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Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore Elected New AJK Prime Minister After No-Confidence Vote
AJK PM Anwarul Haq ousted as no-confidence motion succeeds 36–2. PPP’s Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore elected new prime minister amid shifting political alliances.
MH
by Muhammad Hashir
2025-11-17
Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore Elected New AJK Prime Minister After No-Confidence Vote

A no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq was passed on Monday, paving the way for PPP’s Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore to be elected as the region’s new premier.

The motion succeeded with 36 votes in favour and only two against, both from PTI lawmakers. Fourteen members abstained in the 53-member Legislative Assembly.

Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar announced Rathore’s election shortly after counting concluded. Under the AJK Constitution, voting in favour of a no-confidence motion automatically counts as a vote for the nominated successor — in this case, Rathore.

This makes Rathore the 16th prime minister of AJK since the parliamentary system was introduced in 1975.

How the No-Confidence Move Unfolded

The resolution was tabled earlier in the day by PPP legislator Qasim Majeed, following its submission on Friday with the signatures of 25 lawmakers — 23 from the PPP and two from the PML-N. With the PPP having secured support from a sizeable number of PTI forward bloc members, Haq’s removal had appeared certain before the voting even began.

Haq attended the session, exchanged greetings with Rathore, delivered a speech, and departed afterward. Outside the assembly, large screens allowed citizens to watch the proceedings live.

The PPP’s strength in the assembly had expanded significantly in recent weeks. In October, ten lawmakers from the PTI forward bloc joined the PPP, raising its tally to 27. On Sunday, two more PTI ministers — Deewan Ali Chughtai and Taqdees Kausar Gillani — announced their decision to join the PPP after meeting party leader Faryal Talpur.

Four Prime Ministers in Four Years

Rathore takes charge with only six months left in the assembly’s term, becoming the fourth AJK prime minister in four years, highlighting the region’s political volatility.

  • August 2021: PTI’s Abdul Qayyum Niazi was elected PM after being nominated by then-Prime Minister Imran Khan.
  • April 2022: Niazi resigned after nine months and was replaced by PTI’s regional president Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.
  • April 2023: Ilyas was disqualified by the AJK High Court for contempt, leading to Haq’s appointment.
  • November 2024: Haq is removed via no-confidence vote, and PPP’s Rathore takes over.

The sequence underscores ongoing internal divisions, shifting alliances and challenges to political stability within the AJK Legislative Assembly.

With Rathore now taking on the leadership role, the region will watch closely how he navigates governance, party realignments and the final months ahead of the next general elections.
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