Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq is expected to resign tonight or tomorrow (Tuesday), according to reliable political sources. The development comes amid a major shift in the region’s political landscape, as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secures a decisive majority in the AJK Legislative Assembly. The AJK Prime Minister Anwarul Haq expected to resign follows the PPP’s claim of gaining control after several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers defected to its ranks.
The PPP’s strength in the AJK Assembly rose from 17 to 27 after 10 PTI members joined the party, giving it the simple majority needed to table a no-confidence motion against the sitting premier. With this, the Bilawal Bhutto-led party, which is a coalition partner of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the federal government, now holds enough seats to form its own government in AJK without PML-N’s support.
Sources said that Anwarul Haq has already completed consultations with his associates and is likely to announce his resignation soon. Following his exit, he and his allies are expected to move to the opposition benches, marking the end of his tenure. Cabinet members from his government have also reportedly decided to back the PPP’s candidate for the next leader of the House.
Meanwhile, the PML-N has opted to sit in the opposition despite being an ally of the PPP at the Centre. Under AJK’s constitution, if the prime minister resigns, the president must summon a session of the Legislative Assembly within 14 days to elect a new leader of the House.
This political reshuffle will make it the fourth time in the current assembly’s tenure that a new AJK premier is elected. If Anwarul Haq formally submits his resignation to the AJK president, the election process for his successor will begin immediately if the assembly is in session, or within two weeks if it is not.
To move a no-confidence motion against the prime minister, at least 25% of total assembly members must sign the resolution and nominate a replacement candidate. If the motion fails, no new no-confidence attempt can be made for the next six months.
The AJK constitution also gives the prime minister authority to dissolve the assembly, provided no no-confidence motion is pending. In such a case, the president would issue a dissolution order, and if not done within 48 hours, the assembly would stand dissolved automatically — prompting fresh elections within 90 days.
Currently, the AJK Assembly has 53 members, with 27 votes required for a simple majority. The PPP now holds the crucial number to take control, positioning Bilawal Bhutto’s party to lead the next government in Muzaffarabad as AJK Prime Minister Anwarul Haq expected to resign in a dramatic political shift.
