ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has secured the required majority to form a government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) following the defection of nine ministers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) forward bloc.
Reports said five PTI ministers — Chaudhry Yasir, Muhammad Hussain, Chaudhry Muhammad Ikhlaq, Chaudhry Arshad, and Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed — met with Faryal Talpur and Chaudhry Riaz and formally announced their decision to join the PPP.
In a separate meeting, four additional PTI forward bloc ministers — Faheem Akhtar Rabbani, Abdul Majeed Khan, Muhammad Akbar Ibrahim, and Asim Sharif Butt — also joined the PPP after meeting Faryal Talpur.
Faryal Talpur welcomed the new members, expressing confidence in their decision and reaffirming that the PPP has always been a true representative of the people of Azad Kashmir. She added that the party will continue its struggle for the political and economic rights of the region’s citizens.
Numbers Game to Form Govt in AJK
With the latest additions, the PPP’s strength in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly has reached 27 members, giving it a simple majority required to form the government.
Party insiders revealed that the PPP plans to form the government without the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which holds nine seats and has announced it will not be part of the new government.
The Barrister Sultan group has assured Faryal Talpur of its support. Five members from the Barrister Sultan group and five from refugee constituencies have reportedly aligned with the PPP, while the support of two additional members remains undisclosed.
To mark the political developments, Faryal Talpur is expected to host a dinner at Sindh House, Islamabad, tonight at 10 p.m., which will be attended by the PPP parliamentary party, members from refugee seats, and representatives of the Barrister Sultan group.
President Zardari Approves No-Confidence Move
This comes after President Asif Ali Zardari approved a no-confidence move and authorized efforts to form a new government in Azad Kashmir.
With over 30 lawmakers now backing the PPP, the party is poised to lead the next government in the region.
