Raja Farooq Haider being tipped as frontrunner for AJK PM

PML-N planning to form govt before August 14

MUZAFFARABAD/ ISLAMABAD: Following the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s landslide victory in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) general elections, a race is on among the top leaders of the party’s regional chapter for the coveted office of prime minister of the region.

Although the party leadership has yet to make a decision, Raja Farooq Haider — the president of the PML-N AJK chapter — is being rated as the strongest contender for the office, according to background discussions with circles privy to PML-N preparations to form the next government in AJK.



According to PML-N sources, the party is expected to form the government before August 14. Shah Ghulam Qadir, Farooq Sikander, Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, Chaudhry Aziz, Chaudhry Yasin Gulshan and Mushtaq Minhas are among candidates likely to be assigned key governmental or legislative responsibilities, they told The Express Tribune. Shah Ghulam Qadir and Chaudhry Tariq Farooq are also being considered for premiership.

Apart from the prime minister, the constitutional term of AJK President Sardar Yaqoob is set to expire in a little over a month. The PML-N, as such, will have to nominate a candidate for this position as well.

Requesting anonymity, some PML-N stalwarts close to Premier Nawaz and active in AJK politics told The Express Tribune that the selection of the next AJK prime minister was discussed with him when he visited Muzaffarabad on Friday.

They said several political issues were deliberated upon during the visit and candidates for different portfolios, including the new AJK prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker, and reserved seats were considered.

Some reports suggested journalist-turned-politician Mushtaq Minhas could be the next AJK prime minister. Credible sources, however, said Minhas is not being considered for the office.



Raja Farooq Haider neither confirmed nor denied reports that he may be the next AJK premier “Whatever the party decides shall be acceptable to me,” he told The Express Tribune. Asked whether the decision of the party command is coming in his favour, the PML-N leader replied, “This is not for me to say. If you have some news, you must be better informed than me. I can’t say anything.”

Meanwhile, AJK Election Commission spokesman Tariq Mahmood Butt said there was no constitutionally stipulated timeframe for the winning party to form the government.  He said the elections (in new AJK LA) to fill in eight reserved seats would be held on July 29 or July 30. “Once this is done, our job will be over. It is for the new Legislative Assembly to elect the office-bearers.”

Candidates for the reserved seats have to file nomination papers in the office of election commission secretary on July 25. Scrutiny of nomination papers will start from 10am July 26. Appeals against the rejection and acceptance of nomination papers can be submitted before the AJK chief election commissioner (CEC) from 5pm to 10pm the same day. The CEC will hear the appeals from 10am to 12pm on July 27 and give his verdict the same day. Candidates who want to withdraw their nominations can do so before 12pm on July 28.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2016.