MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Iftikhar Gillani on Tuesday allotted additional portfolios to three ministers, apparently indicating that an immediate expansion of his cabinet was not in the offing.

According to a notification issued by the Services and General Administration Department, Health Minister Dr Mustafa Bashir Abbasi was also given the population welfare portfolio.

Chaudhry Abdul Rehman Arain, who already holds the tourism, industry, labour and mineral resources portfolios, was additionally assigned sports, youth and culture.

Raja Mohammad Riasat, who holds revenue and rehabilitation, was given the Board of Revenue portfolio as well.

Despite the fresh allocations, the prime minister still holds several key portfolios, including local government and rural development, communications and works, finance and inland revenue, agriculture, livestock and irrigation, information and information technology, planning and development, and law, justice and parliamentary affairs.

The portfolios could be distributed among new ministers following a cabinet expansion, which may take place either before or after elections to the seven vacant seats in Poonch and Sudhnoti districts, official sources said.

The seven seats could not be contested in the recent AJK general elections because of law and order concerns.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2026