ISLAMABAD, In a major political development, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have agreed to submit a no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Anwarul Haq, citing his government’s failure to deliver.
Senior leaders including Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and Raja Pervez Ashraf announced the decision after a joint meeting at the President House in Islamabad. They said the leadership change had become “inevitable” due to poor governance in AJK.
PML-N’s Conditional Support Rana Sanaullah clarified that while PML-N will support the no-confidence motion, it will not be part of any new government formed afterward. He said the party’s only role is to help remove the current prime minister.
Qamar Zaman Kaira revealed that PPP had offered PML-N a place in the new government, but PML-N declined, choosing only to back the motion for Anwarul Haq’s removal.
PTI Forward Bloc Joins PPP The political shift gained momentum after PPP’s Faryal Talpur met around 10 members of the PTI forward bloc in the AJK Assembly many of whom were ministers in Anwarul Haq’s cabinet. These members announced their decision to join PPP.
With their support, PPP now holds a simple majority with 27 members in the 53-seat assembly.
Key lawmakers who joined include:
Chaudhry Rasheed, Yasir Sultan, Chaudhry Arshad, Chaudhry Ikhlaq, Sardar Muhammad Hussain, Majid Khan, Asim Sharif Butt, Akbar Ibrahim, and Faheem Rabbani.
PPP Strengthens Its Numbers To further secure loyalty, Faryal Talpur hosted a large dinner at Sindh House in Islamabad, attended by PPP parliamentarians, refugee seat representatives, and members of the Barrister Sultan group.
Insiders claim PPP now enjoys the support of over 30 members five from Barrister Sultan’s group and five from refugee constituencies while support from two more legislators remains undisclosed.
Why PPP Sought PML-N’s Backing Although PPP had already achieved a majority, it was initially hesitant to move the motion alone. After discussions, PML-N agreed to support the move despite not seeking any share in the upcoming setup.
Rumors and Clarifications Earlier reports about PM Anwarul Haq’s resignation had circulated amid rising political tension. Federal Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, however, dismissed these as baseless and said no such decision had been made at the federal level.
