MUZAFFARABAD: Newly elected members of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly took oath on Monday, formally completing the formation of the new 53-member house after elections on reserved seats.
Outgoing Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar administered the oath to the newly elected members during a ceremony at the assembly.
The PML-N emerged as the largest party in the new house after securing six of the eight reserved seats, taking its total strength to 31. The Pakistan Peoples Party won two reserved seats and has 14 members.
Following an alliance with one member of the Awami Dast-o-Bazu, the PML-N’s effective strength has risen to 32.
The new assembly consists of 45 general seats and eight reserved seats. The completion of the reserved-seat elections formally concluded the process of constituting the new house.
An interesting contest was witnessed on a women’s reserved seat, where PPP candidate Zubia Khursheed and PML-N candidate Riffat Abid received an equal number of votes. The matter was decided through a draw, with Khursheed winning and securing the seat.
With the oath-taking ceremony completed, the process of government formation in AJK has moved forward. The election of the speaker and deputy speaker is expected on Tuesday, while the election of the new AJK prime minister is scheduled for August 27.
Earlier, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting to discuss government formation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and potential candidates for the prime minister’s office.
Shah Ghulam Qadir and Tariq Farooq emerged as the leading contenders, with one of them expected to be nominated as the PML-N’s candidate for prime minister.
The meeting also discussed the party’s strategy for the reserved-seat elections. The PML-N parliamentary party in AJK had earlier expressed confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
The party said the incoming AJK government would focus on improving law and order, reviving development projects and introducing policies aimed at public welfare.
It also reiterated its commitment to constitutional supremacy, merit and justice.
The completion of the assembly formation has paved the way for the election of the speaker, deputy speaker and new prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.