MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas on Monday inducted 14 more lawmakers in his two-member cabinet, but did not announce their portfolios.

The ministers were administered oath by President Barrister Sultan Mahmood at a function at the new palatial Prime Minister’s House which remains largely unused ever since its handing over to the government over seven years ago.

Prime Minister Ilyas and Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Anwarul Haq were also present on the occasion.

Shortly after his swearing-in on Monday last, Mr Ilyas had appointed Khawaja Farooq Ahmed from Muzaffarabad and Chaudhry Mohammad Akhlaq from Kotli as cabinet members though without any portfolios to fulfil the constitutional definition of the government.

However, after the 13thconstitutional amendment, the size of the cabinet cannot exceed 30 per cent of the total membership - 16 members -, it took him a week to finalise the remaining 14 names from amongst at least 25 hopefuls.

The PTI parliamentary party comprises 32 members. Of them, 26 – 17 from AJK territory and nine from Pakistan based refugees - had returned in general elections while the rest were elected later against reserved seats.

Those inducted on Monday were Chaudhry Azhar Sadiq, Chaudhry Arshad Hussain and Chaudhry Yasir Sultan from Mirpur, Chaudhry Ali Shan Soni from Bhimber, Malik Zafar Iqbal and Nisar Ansar Abdali from Kotli, Faheem Akhtar Rabbani from Sudhnoti, Sardar Mir Akbar from Bagh, Deevan Ali Chughtai and Chaudhry Mohammad Rasheed from Jhelum Valley, AbdulMajid Khan from the refugees from occupied Kashmir Valley and Mohammad Akmal Sargala, Chaudhry Akbar Ibrahim and Chaudhry Maqbool from the refugees from occupied Jammu.

Mr Ibrahim and Mr Maqbool were advisers in Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi-led government but Mr Sultan, who is son of President Mahmood, is a fresh entrant.

He had returned in a by-polls held in October last year following his father’s elevation as the ceremonial head of the state.

Two members of the previous cabinet - Shahida Saghir from Poonch and Sardar Mohammad Hussain from Sudhnoti – were not made part of the new cabinet.

Ms Saghir is the paternal aunt of Prime Minister Ilyas. She and the elderly lawmaker Hussain were likely to be appointed as adviser or special assistant to the prime minister.

Following the 13thamendment, the prime minister can appoint two advisers and as many special assistants.

Though the portfolios of none of the 16 ministers were announced on Monday, sources said most of them were most likely to be given their previous portfolios. Immediately, the prime minister had not designated any cabinet member as the ‘senior minister’ either.

Previously, the senior minister would act as prime minister in the latter’s absence from the country. However, the 13thamendment has divested the senior minister of this privilege.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2022