Anwarul Haq elected AJK PM

Published April 20, 2023
A file photo of Chaudhry Anwarul Haq. — Provided by Tariq Naqash.
A file photo of Chaudhry Anwarul Haq. — Provided by Tariq Naqash.

MUZAFFARABAD: In a dramatic move, the AJK Legislative Assembly elected its Speaker Chaudhry Anwarul Haq as the next prime minister in the small hours of Thursday, apparently ending a weeklong deadlock in the wake of the disqualification of ex-PM Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.

Since no one submitted nomination papers against him, Mr Haq got the trust of all 48 members present in the house, including 29 from the ruling PTI as well as opposition members from the PPP and PML-N.

Ever since the disqualification of Mr Ilyas, Mr Haq remained with the PTI “to ensure its return to power in the face of manoeuvres by the combined opposition” which wanted to clinch power with the help of another small group of PTI deserters, under the influence of President Barrister Sultan Mahmood.

Mr Haq was among the three lawmakers who PTI chief Imran Khan had shortlisted and asked the parliamentary party to build consensus on one name to become AJK premier.

However, in a surprise development on Wednesday night his name emerged as a joint candidate of the combined opposition and a 12-member PTI ‘forward bloc’.

In a statement, PTI regional president Ilyas said the party had not named anyone as its candidate for the post.

“Today, I have come to know about the machinations of Mr Haq. On the one hand he was assuring PTI leadership of his efforts to save the party, on the other he was striking a deal with the establishment,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2023

Opinion

Broken promises

Broken promises

Perhaps the biggest impediment to the successful mainstreaming of ex-Fata and its development has been the lack of funding.

Editorial

Wake-up call
Updated 09 Nov, 2024

Wake-up call

Pakistan must heed UN's wake-up call and bring its laws and practices in line with its international human rights obligations.
Foreign banks’ exit
09 Nov, 2024

Foreign banks’ exit

WHY are foreign banks leaving Pakistan? In the last couple of decades, we have seen a number of global banking...
Kurram protest
09 Nov, 2024

Kurram protest

FED up with the state’s apathy towards their plight, the people of Kurram tribal district took to the streets on...
IHK resolution
Updated 08 Nov, 2024

IHK resolution

If the BJP administration were to listen to Kashmiris, it could pave the way for the resumption of the political process in IHK.
Climate realities
08 Nov, 2024

Climate realities

THE Air Quality Index in Lahore once again shot past the 1,000-level mark on Wednesday morning, registering at an...
Rule by fear
08 Nov, 2024

Rule by fear

THE abduction of an opposition MNA, as claimed by PTI, is yet another grim episode in Pakistan’s ongoing crisis of...