A planned in-house change in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Assembly has been stalled due to delays within the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The party’s high command has yet to nominate an alternative Leader of the House, repeatedly postponing the submission of a no-confidence motion.
Despite claiming a numerical majority for over a week, the PPP has been unable to finalise its political move. Sources indicate the party will only proceed with the no-confidence motion after Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari returns to the country.
The delay is reportedly linked to broader political negotiations, including the PML-N’s demand for early assembly elections. The current AJK assembly’s term ends in July 2026, and holding elections in March would significantly reduce the power of any new government formed now, as all development work and appointment authorities are typically suspended two months before polls.
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Sources state that the PML-N’s insistence on completing the assembly’s full term is a key reason for the current political deadlock. This situation leaves approximately 80% of the region’s development budget unspent and around 2,000 recruitment positions in limbo.
The political landscape shifted on October 26 when ten members of the PTI’s forward bloc announced their decision to join the PPP, theoretically granting the party the required majority. The following day, the PPP and PML-N agreed to jointly move a no-confidence motion against the sitting Prime Minister of AJK.
However, in a surprising reversal, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) subsequently announced it would dissociate from the opposition alliance’s no-confidence motion, calling the move a “political game.” This withdrawal has further complicated the path forward for the proposed government change
