Raja Faisal Rathore was sworn in as the new AJK PM on Tuesday, a day after securing majority support in the Legislative Assembly following a no-confidence motion that unseated his predecessor Anwarul Haq. Rathore is now the 16th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the fourth to assume office during the current assembly’s tenure.
The oath-taking ceremony, held in Muzaffarabad, was administered by AJK Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Lateef Akbar and attended by the governors of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership, including Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Faryal Talpur, joined civil and military representatives at the event.
Read how Assembly elect Raja Faisal Rathore
In his first address, Rathore thanked the PPP leadership — including President Asif Ali Zardari and Talpur — for entrusting him with the responsibility. He praised the Pakistan Army for its sacrifices and vowed to rebuild public trust, saying the PPP would work to restore its connection with the people of AJK.
Bilawal: “Political stability has returned to AJK”
Speaking at the ceremony, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari congratulated the region’s residents, stating that political representation had been revived after a turbulent period. He credited Kashmiri citizens for their “unmatched political awareness,” adding that Rathore had witnessed public frustration firsthand and must now deliver on his commitments.
Bilawal stressed that the new government would operate transparently, not “from behind closed doors,” and urged Rathore to address citizens’ concerns promptly. Turning to India, he criticized New Delhi’s actions in the region, alleging that India continued to evade scrutiny at international forums following incidents in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Federal government pledges support
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also called Rathore to congratulate him on assuming office. He assured that the federal government would work with the new AJK administration to support development, welfare, and security initiatives across the region.
Political shifts behind the change
Anwarul Haq’s removal came after PPP legislators formally tabled a no-confidence motion, which secured 36 votes, including support from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers. Only two members opposed the move.
The PPP’s push for a leadership change followed President Zardari’s political strategy unveiled last month. The party strengthened its numbers when 10 PTI members joined PPP on October 26 after a meeting with Faryal Talpur. The defecting lawmakers included Muhammad Hussain, Chaudhry Yasir, Chaudhry Akhlaq, Chaudhry Arshad, Chaudhry Rasheed, Zafar Iqbal Malik, Faheem Akhtar Rabbani, Abdul Majid Khan, Muhammad Akbar Ibrahim, and Asim Sharif Butt.
While PML-N backed the no-confidence motion, the party chose not to enter the governing coalition.
With Rathore’s appointment, the PPP now consolidates its authority in AJK as the new prime minister begins his tenure under heightened expectations for stability and governance reforms.
