The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will meet today to elect a new prime minister after the former, Sardar Tanveer llyas, was disqualified by the AJK Supreme Court from holding any public office in a contempt case.
However, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been unable to announce the name of a new prime minister, a move that is costing the party in the region. Several more members of the PTI have quit and joined the forward bloc.
Among those jumping ship are Javed Butt, a member supported by Sheikh Rashid Ahmed; Mazhar Saeed, who was on an ulema and mashaikh quota.
The forward bloc, created under the patronage of the Azad Kashmir president, has nominated Chaudhry Rasheed as its candidate for premiership.
The PPP and PML-N have announced to bring in their separate candidates.
On April 11, former AJK premier Sardar Ilyas was disqualified by the Azad Kashmir High Court in a contempt case.
He was charged with using ‘threatening tone’ against the judiciary. The clips featuring the premier finding fault with the judiciary were played during the proceeding.
