MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has reconstituted its new governing body for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) after the installation of its government in the territory, with billionaire real estate tycoon Sardar Tanveer Ilyas as the new regional president.

Raja Mansoor Khan, an unsuccessful PTI candidate in July 25 elections, was elevated from additional general secretary to general secretary while Chaudhry Zafar Anwar, Zulfiqar Abbasi and Ershad Mahmud have been retained as senior vice president, finance secretary and information secretary, respectively.

A notification to this effect was issued by PTI’s chief organiser Senator Saifullah Khan Niazi late on Thursday night.

Among other office-bearers, Minister for Works and Communications Chaudhry Azhar Sadiq and Mir Attiqur Rehman, who could not clinch victory in elections, were appointed as vice presidents from Mirpur and Muzaffarabad divisions, respectively.

Amir Nazir, also an unsuccessful candidate from Haveli district, was appointed as additional general secretary while Qazi Israil, Sikandar Baig, Sardar Murtaza Tahir, MLA Chaudhry Maqbool Gujjar and Saleem Butt were appointed deputy general secretaries respectively for Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Poonch, Jammu and Valley divisions. Mr Butt had also lost election from a Kashmiri refugees constituency in Sindh and Balochistan.

Mr Ilyas, who has been designated as the senior minister, has however not attended both informal cabinet meetings so far, reportedly as a mark of silent protest over allotment of ‘insignificant portfolios’.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021