Pakistan’s PPP finalizes Chaudhry Yaseen as nominee for Kashmir’s next prime minister

Pakistan’s ruling coalition partner, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has nominated veteran lawmaker Chaudhry Yaseen as its candidate for prime minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, signaling a major shake-up in the region’s politics.

The move comes amid rising political tension in administered-Kashmir, where the PPP recently split from the ruling coalition, citing exclusion from key administrative decisions and frustration over governance and transparency issues.

The region, officially known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has its own legislative assembly and prime minister, but remains under Islamabad’s administrative control. Political changes there often echo broader shifts in Pakistan’s federal politics.

According to party insiders, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari approved Yaseen’s nomination following an internal meeting with senior leaders from Kashmir. Four names had been under consideration - Chaudhry Yaseen, Latif Akbar, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, and Sardar Yaqoob Khan - before the leadership gave the final nod to Yaseen after “detailed consultations.”

A formal announcement of the party’s choice is expected shortly. Earlier this week, senior PPP leader Faryal Talpur hosted a dinner at Sindh House in Islamabad, attended by 27 members of the AJK legislative assembly, in what observers described as a clear show of parliamentary strength and preparation for a leadership transition.

Political realignment in Kashmir

The PPP’s decision to contest the top post marks the beginning of an in-house change that could alter the balance of power in Kashmir. The party, which positions itself as the region’s largest parliamentary force, now seeks to form its own government rather than continue as a coalition partner.

The development follows weeks of political friction and growing public dissatisfaction over governance, allegations of administrative overreach, and the passage of new laws curbing dissent.

Analysts believe that if the PPP succeeds in securing majority support in the assembly, Kashmir could witness one of its most significant power shifts in recent years.

For Islamabad, the unfolding situation in Pakistan-administered Kashmir is being closely watched - not only for its local political consequences but also for what it might reveal about shifting alliances and power dynamics within Pakistan’s federal coalition itself.