Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi has dismissed five ministers. He dismissed the ministers over charges of misconduct, corruption, and suspicious activities.
According to the notification issued, the ministers are: Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Abdul Majid Khan, Ali Shan Soni, and Khawaja Farooq. Separately, AJK PM also removed Akbar Ibrahim. A spokesman for the AJK prime minister confirmed the news to the media.
Pertinent to mention, PTI nominated Sardar Tanveer Ilyas for the PM’s slot under the Constitution of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“In exercise of powers conferred under Article 14 (3) of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution, 1974, the following members of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are removed forthwith from office as ministers on the grounds of misconduct, wrongdoings and malpractices,” the notification read.
Prime Minister AJK Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi removed 4 members of his cabinet on the grounds of misconduct, wrong doings and malpractices.
Sardar Tanveer Ilyas who also owns Centaurus Mall, Islamabad is the new PM AJK candidate as suggested by @ImranKhanPTI. Corruption 101!! pic.twitter.com/Z0W0pRuNB2
— Farhad Jarral (@FarhadJarralPK) April 14, 2022
Twist in AJK politics
Interestingly, the development comes two days after PTI submitted a no-confidence motion against the AJK PM. On Tuesday, as many as 25 members of the ruling PTI in Azad Jammu and Kashmir filed a no-confidence motion against their own Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi. They accused him of failing to implement the party manifesto and creating a mess.
The motion claimed that under Article 18 of the Constitution of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Niazi lost the confidence of the parliamentary party due to non-implementation of the party manifesto, mismanagement, nepotism and breach of merit and failure to highlight the Kashmir issue. Furthermore, they proposed the name of Sardar Tanveer Ilyas for the PM’s slot. The political development certainly came as a shock.
To clarify, according to AJK interim constitution act 1974, if a no-confidence motion succeeds, the successor proposed in the resolution becomes the next Prime Minister without any separate election procedure.
If Sardar Tanveer Ilyas becomes the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, then all political activists should give up their political struggle and focus on making money and becoming business tycoons.
— Arbab Ansar Awan (@ArbabAnsarAwan1) April 14, 2022
On the other hand, Wednesday, AJK PM Sardar Abdul Qayoom Khan Niazi reportedly met PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan. During his meeting with Imran Khan, he rejected the allegations leveled against him. He also briefed the PTI chairman about “conspiracies” being hatched to send him packing.
Read more: Abdul Qayyum Niazi confirmed as the new Prime Minister of AJK