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Muzaffarabad: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has formally submitted a no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq and nominated Faisal Mumtaz Rathore as its candidate for the top office.
Speaking at a press conference, senior PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the party had secured the required numbers to form the next government in AJK. He said the PPP had always given top priority to the Kashmir cause and would continue to advocate for the rights of the Kashmiri people.
The no-confidence motion, backed by the signatures of the requisite number of lawmakers, was filed in the AJK Assembly Secretariat. Under the Constitution, a no-confidence motion must be endorsed by at least 25 percent of the total members of the Assembly.
As per procedure, the Assembly Secretary will forward a copy of the motion to the AJK President and issue notices to all members. After three days—and within a maximum of seven days—the motion must be included in the Assembly’s agenda. Once it is placed on the agenda, the Speaker is bound under Article 18 to fix a day for voting.
On the scheduled day, the session cannot be adjourned until voting on the motion is completed. If the motion fails, no new no-confidence move can be brought for the next six months.
With the no-confidence motion now on record, the Prime Minister’s constitutional power to dissolve the Assembly has been suspended, as the Assembly cannot be dissolved while such a motion is pending.
Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, the PPP’s nominee for Prime Minister, hails from Haveli district. His family has deep political ties with the Pakistan Peoples Party.
