No-confidence vote against AJK Prime Minister Anwarul-Haq scheduled for 3 p.m. today

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will vote on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul-Haq today (Monday).

The extraordinary session, scheduled for 3 p.m., will be chaired by President Chaudhry Latif Akbar. The resolution demanding Haq’s removal was submitted to the assembly secretariat on Friday.

The PPP has nominated Faisal Rathore for the top spot. Rathore also enjoys the support of the PML-N, which supported the motion but chose not to join the government.

Security has been reinforced around the Assembly Secretariat, the Block of Ministers and the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. Entry is restricted to lawmakers and secretariat staff, while media personnel will only be allowed with official passes. All MPs will enter the House together.

The PPP has decided to consolidate its position in the region following President Asif Ali Zardari’s political roadmap unveiled last month.

Read: Bilawal says PPP capable of forming government in AJK

The PPP formally filed a no-confidence motion against AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq last week and nominated Faisal Rathore for the top spot, submitting the resolution with required signatures.

Under assembly rules, the motion must be placed on the list of business within three to seven days, after which the speaker is constitutionally required to set a vote date. Once the date is fixed, the session cannot be adjourned until the vote is held.

Political activity in Islamabad also intensified ahead of the vote, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari holding a series of meetings to discuss the expected change in AJK and the proposed power-sharing formula. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and senior PML-N leaders also attended the consultations.

Learn more: PPP and PML-N at odds over AJK govt’s mandate

Although the PML-N signed the no-confidence motion, the party decided not to support the PPP candidate for prime minister and will instead sit on the opposition benches, positioning itself for the July 2026 elections.

With the PML-N’s support, the strength of the PPP-led camp in the 52-member AJK Assembly would have reached 30, well above the simple majority needed to oust Haq.

Prime Minister Haq, meanwhile, refused to resign, saying he would submit to a vote in the House. He continued his official meetings at his residence and dismissed speculation of a resignation.