MUZAFFARABAD – The no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq continues to face delays as political parties remain divided over the timing of the next elections, sources said.
The insiders said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has not yet nominated a candidate for the position of leader of the House. The party is expected to make a final decision on submitting the motion after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari returns to the country.
Sources claim that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) reported demand for early elections is a key reason behind the delay. Meanwhile, nearly 80% of the AJK government’s development budget remains unutilised.
They added that the current assembly’s term will end in July 2026, while PML-N is pushing for elections in March 2026. If this demand is accepted, the sitting government would effectively lose authority by January—two months before polls—limiting PPP’s ability to achieve its political objectives in December and January.
PPP’s insistence on allowing the assembly to complete its full term is believed to be at the core of the political deadlock.
It is worth noting that both PML-N and PPP have already agreed to move a no-confidence motion against the AJK Prime Minister.
However, PML-N maintains that it will not join the AJK government and will continue to sit on the opposition benches.
