MUZAFFARABAD: Raja Mohammad Farooq Haider was sworn in as the 9th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir here on Thursday after the Legislative Assembly elected him as leader of the house by a clear majority. The oath was administered by AJK President Raja Zulqarnain Khan at the President’s House.

Mr Haider who contested as a candidate of the reunified Muslim Conference, secured 29 votes. His rival and outgoing (interim) Prime Minister Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan bagged only 19 votes in the 48-member house.

Mr Khan was jointly fielded by People’s Party (7 votes), People’s Muslim League (4 votes), MQM (two votes) and Friends Group (6 votes). Three members of the Friends Group had changed loyalty over the past three days. Official sources told Dawn that supporters of the outgoing premier tried desperately on Wednesday night to get the assembly’s session prorogued. The president, after obtaining opinion of the law department, ruled out prorogation of the session.

Addressing the house after announcement of results, Mr Haider brushed aside allegations about unconstitutional moves and said the change had occurred with the free will of the people.

‘This is one form of right to self-determination which we have exercised today.

Making or breaking a government under the constitution is not an undemocratic step by any means,’ said the 54-year-old leader, who is the first chief executive in
six decades having been elected from Muzaffarabad district.

Mr Haider regretted that an impression had been created that an anti-Pakistan government was being installed in the AJK under his leadership.

He said that differences of opinion with the central government should not be misconstrued as anti-state sentiments.

He thanked President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani for considering his proposal for amendments to the AJK’s interim constitution, commonly referred to as Act 1974 and invited them to visit Muzaffarabad at their earliest convenience.

He also thanked PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and said his support had helped the democratic process in the AJK.

Spelling out his policy, he said he would uphold the supremacy of merit, law and justice and provide a clean administration. He admitted that politics of ‘bradrism and regionalism’ was like cancer which had badly affected the region.