Zardari leads talks as PPP moves to form new govt in Pakistan-administered Kashmir

Key political consultations were held at Aiwan-e-Sadr to discuss the evolving situation and future government formation in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir, also known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

President Asif Ali Zardari met with a delegation of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), joined by top leaders from both the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and PML-N.

The PML-N delegation included Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, and Amir Muqam, while the PPP was represented by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and Nayyar Bukhari. From AJK, PPP President Chaudhry Yasin and Faisal Mumtaz Rathore also took part in the meeting.

According to sources, President Zardari was briefed on recent political developments in AJK. Various proposals were discussed, and consultations were held on options for forming a new government.

Speaking to reporters afterward, PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said a detailed discussion on AJK’s political situation was held with the president.

Rana Sanaullah said the PML-N parliamentary party had decided it no longer had confidence in the existing government. He confirmed that PML-N would support PPP in a no-confidence motion but would not join the new government.

Qamar Zaman Kaira said the current AJK government had failed to address public issues, while Ahsan Iqbal emphasized that political change was necessary to restore development opportunities, adding that PML-N would remain in opposition.

Sources said the meeting could lead to significant political developments regarding government formation in the region.

Earlier, the PPP had announced it was leaving the ruling coalition in AJK, citing “deepening differences” and a lack of input in key administrative decisions. The party, which claims to be the largest parliamentary force in the region, has expressed its intention to form its own government.

Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, who took office after the disqualification of PTI’s Sardar Tanveer Ilyas in 2023, now faces a no-confidence motion as the PPP claims to have secured the backing of more than 27 assembly members.

The move follows growing public dissatisfaction over governance, transparency, and new laws restricting criticism of the government – factors that have fueled political unrest in the region.

Political instability has long been a hallmark of AJK, where successive governments have frequently changed under federal influence – from Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan and Sardar Sikandar Hayat to Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, Sardar Atiq Ahmed, Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, Raja Farooq Haider, and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.

Prime Minister Anwarul Haq, meanwhile, has mobilized his allies in a bid to preserve his parliamentary majority and avoid losing power. Analysts warn that without institutional autonomy and political maturity, AJK risks remaining trapped in cycles of short-lived governments.

PPP’s efforts gained momentum when Faryal Talpur hosted a dinner at Sindh House in Islamabad, attended by 27 AJK assembly members. The gathering reaffirmed the party’s numerical strength and unity ahead of the expected government change.

According to sources, President Zardari has also contacted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to seek federal backing for the PPP’s move. The prime minister has reportedly formed a committee led by Ahsan Iqbal to review the situation and advise on the way forward.

However, Shah Ghulam Qadir, PML-N’s president in AJK, said the party had decided to stay in opposition “to protect the rights of the people.”

PPP leaders have warned that if Prime Minister Anwarul Haq does not resign by October 27 (today), marked as Black Day, the party will formally submit a no-confidence motion.

“The resignation on Black Day would send a positive message to the Kashmiri people and uphold democratic values,” PPP leaders said.

With PPP consolidating its so-called “golden 27” majority and PML-N holding firm to its opposition stance, Pakistan-administered Kashmir stands at a critical political juncture that could reshape its leadership and governance in the days ahead.