A significant political shift has occurred in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) officially filed a No-Confidence Motion against the incumbent Prime Minister, Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq, at the Assembly Secretariat. Concurrently, the PPP has named Faisal Mumtaz Rathore as its alternative candidate for the premiership. Mr. Rathore hails from the Haveli district of AJK, and his father was also a long-time member of the PPP.
During a press conference in Muzaffarabad, senior PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf announced that the party has secured sufficient numbers and is confident in forming the next government in AJK. He reiterated that the PPP has consistently prioritized the Kashmir issue above all else.
Constitutional Process of the No-Confidence Motion
The requisition for the No-Confidence Motion was submitted with the necessary signatures of Assembly members, as mandated by the constitution. Under the AJK Constitution, the motion requires the signatures of 25 percent of the total membership of the Assembly.
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Notification: The Assembly Secretary is obligated to deliver a copy of the requisition to the President as quickly as possible and distribute notices to all members.
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Scheduling the Vote: The Secretary must include the motion on the List of Business no sooner than three days and no later than seven days after it has been filed.
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Voting Day: Once included in the List of Business, the Assembly Speaker is bound by Article 18 of the Constitution to designate a day for the vote (Division).
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Mandatory Proceedings: The Assembly session cannot be adjourned on the appointed day until the resolution has been put to a vote.
Revocation of Prime Minister’s Power to Dissolve Assembly
The Constitution grants the Prime Minister the authority to dissolve the Assembly at any time, but this power is automatically revoked once a motion of no-confidence is submitted against them. Since the motion has now been filed, Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq has lost his constitutional power to dissolve the Assembly.
Bar on Future Motions
Should the No-Confidence Motion fail (i.e., it is defeated in the vote), no fresh motion of no-confidence can be introduced against the Prime Minister for the next six months. This is a crucial moment in AJK’s constitutional history that will determine the political direction of the region in the coming days.
