PM Shehbaz vows full support as Faisal Rathore takes charge as new AJK premier

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured the newly elected Azad Jammu and Kashmir premier, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, that the federal government will stand by his administration and work closely with it to improve life in the region.

The two spoke by phone on Tuesday, a day after Rathore won the assembly’s vote to replace Chaudhry Anwarul Haq through a no-confidence motion backed by the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The prime minister congratulated Rathore on his election and reiterated that the progress and well-being of AJK’s people remain among the Centre’s key priorities.

During the call, PM Shehbaz said the federal government would extend every possible support to help the new administration move forward on economic development, public welfare and peace in the region.

Rathore takes oath as AJK’s new premier

Rathore was sworn in on Tuesday, becoming the 16th prime minister of AJK and the fourth person to hold the office during the current assembly’s term. His oath followed Monday’s vote in which 36 lawmakers supported the move to unseat Haq. The assembly had earlier been led by Abdul Qayyum Khan and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan before Haq’s tenure.

Initially, President Barrister Sultan Mahmood had been scheduled to administer the oath, but health concerns meant he could not travel to Muzaffarabad. The duty was carried out instead by AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar.

Early signals from the new AJK leadership

Soon after his election, the 47 year old premier outlined several steps he intends to take, including a downsizing of official posts, a new transport policy for government staff and a limit on the number of secretaries. He also pledged to improve conditions for low paid employees and address public complaints that have piled up over the past year.

With the backing of the federal government and a new team in place, Rathore’s first weeks in office are expected to set the tone for how his administration plans to bring stability and tackle long standing governance issues in the region.