Raja Faisal Rathore sworn in as new AJK prime minister

#Raja #Faisal #Rathore #sworn #AJK #prime #minister

On Tuesday, Raja Faisal Rathore of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was sworn in as the new prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir, a day after winning an assembly vote that did not dislodge Anwarul Haq.

Rathore was administered the oath by AJK Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Leif Akbar during a ceremony in Muzaffarabad, which was attended by the governors of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Additionally, PPP Chairman Balwal Bhutto-Zidari, senior leader Faryal Talpur and members of the top civil-military leadership were also present at the oath-taking ceremony.

After swearing in, the newly elected AJ Prime Minister thanked President Asif Ali Zardari and the top leadership of PPP, including Talpur, for bestowing him with such an important responsibility.

“I pay tribute to the Pakistan Army, who are defending us by sacrificing their lives,” Rathore said in his speech. He added that PPP has taken responsibility to restore relations with the people.

‘Aaj’s government will not work behind closed doors’

Addressing the Occident, PPP Chairman Balwal congratulated the people of AJK, declaring that politics had finally been restored in the region.

Balwal praised the “unprecedented political awareness” of Kashmiris. He said that the newly sworn-in Prime Minister – AJ Rathore had witnessed the protests of the people and now had their confidence.

“The promises Fuel Rathore makes to you are a trust with me,” he said. He further said that the new prime minister now has to resolve the issues of the people. “You must fulfill your promises to the people,” he urged Rathore.

Balwal said that when the representatives fail to represent their people, the citizens themselves are forced to struggle. “Now in Muzaffarabad, your representative is Faisal Rathore,” he told the crowd. He vowed that AJ’s government would not be run “behind closed doors”.

Turning to India, Balwal said Pakistan’s “quality” after the war with India was clear for all to see. He alleged that India was “hiding its face from the world”, and that international forums had seen New Delhi withdraw from scrutiny over the Pahalgam incident in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

He said that the US and other countries will continue to remind New Delhi that seven of its aircraft have been shot down by the Pakistan Air Force.

Balwal said that India tries to damage the long-standing brotherly relations between Pakistan and Kashmir. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “hiding from the world” and that India was running away from the global platform.

“I want to tell the Modi government: You have lost wars, and now you will also lose your conspiracies,” he declared.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif telephoned the newly elected AJK-PM and congratulated him on his election victory. During the conversation, Prime Minister Shehbaz said that the federal government’s priorities included the development of the people of AJ.

“We are committed to working with the AJK government for the welfare, economic development and security of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

After the oath, Rathore became the 16th AJ Prime Minister and the fourth of the current assembly. Those who have served in high office during the current assembly include, apart from Haqi, Abdul Qeem Khan and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan.

Dethroned of Anwarul Haq

After the PPP formally moved a no-confidence motion against him, AJ’s legislature on Monday voted to remove Haq from the post of prime minister. A total of 36 lawmakers from PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supported the no-confidence motion against the former PM, while two opposed it.

The PPP moved to consolidate its government in the autonomous region shortly after President Zardari unveiled a political strategy last month. The party strengthened its strength in the Legislative Assembly when 10 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers joined the PPP during a meeting with President Zardari’s sister, Talpur, at Zardari House in Islamabad on October 26.

Among those who joined the PPP were Muhammad Hussain, Chaudhry Yasir, Chaudhry Muhammad Akhlaq, Chaudhry Irshad, Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed, Zafar Mushidi Malik, Faheem Akhar Rabbani, Abdul Jad Khan, Mohammadi Akhram, among others.

Later, the Muslim League (N) also extended its support to the no-confidence motion, but decided against joining the fold of the government.