Ch Anwarul Haq sworn in as 15th Prime Minister of Azad Jammu Kashmir

MUZAFFARABAD (APP) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-origin Chaudhry Anwarul Haq was sworn in as the 15th prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Thursday, hours after he was elected unopposed to the office by a thumping majority of the 53-seat Azad Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

AJK President Barrister Sultan Mahmood administered the oath to the new Prime Minister Ch Anwarul Haq at a ceremony in the New Prime Minister House.

The ceremony was largely attended by the elected representatives, including the AJK Legislative Assembly members belonging to all three major parties including PTI, PML-N and PPP besides high ranking officials, councilors, social and political workers from various parts of AJK and the notables from the state capital town.

Earlier, Ch Anwarul Haq bagged 48 votes in the 53-member House in an election also participated by the 19-member opposition, comprising Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). A total of 48 members belonging to PTI, PPP and PML (N) polled their votes electing Haq as the Prime Minister unopposed.

The 29 out of a total of 31 PTI members of the AJK Legislative Assembly cast their votes in favor of Ch Anwarul Haq electing him Prime Minister.

The only MLAs belonging to All Jammu Kashmir Muslim Conference and Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party – Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and Sardar Hassan Ibrahim Khan respectively did not polled their votes. Likewise, the MLAs Shahida Sagheer and Ali Shan Soni, belonging to PTI AJK, abstained from casting their vote in favour of the only candidate Ch Anwarul Haq, who was later declared elected unopposed as the Prime Minister of Azad government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, while addressing Azad Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly soon after his election as the Prime minister, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq said that there would be no justification for him to stay in power provided he fails to serve the masses and establish the rule of law in the state.

“The Prime Minister who has been elected today, will not be removed by the court or the House, but if he fails to serve the people, he will leave the post himself,” he said.

Reiterating his commitment to fulfilling his obligations as leader of the House, the PM made it clear that instead of clinging to power he would prefer to resign the moment he felt that he was not able to serve the people. He said that during his two-year term as a speaker he played an important role in the establishment of the rule of law.

Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq said that besides the House (Legislative Assembly), every citizen of the state has the right to hold him accountable in case there was a contradiction in his words and deeds.

Regarding the Kashmiris’ ongoing liberation struggle, the PM said that he would try to play his constitutional role effectively to strengthen the Kashmir cause both at national and international level. Thanking opposition parties for their all-out support, the PM said that he contested the election as an independent candidate but he got the power with the support of the PDM.

He, however, maintained that he would not have contested the election if his party (PTI) was able to win the election. Haq also thanked the PTI lawmakers for reposing their trust and confidence in his leadership.

He said that after assuming the charge of government, he would determine the priorities of his government. Referring to the challenges he faced during his term as speaker, the PM said that for him, the speaker’s chair was not even a bed of flowers.

The PM said that he was elevated to this position today because of the special blessings of Allah and the prayers of his parents.