The new cabinet of Azad Jammu and Kashmir took oath today. About 18 members of the cabinet took oath, marking an important step in forming PPP-led government in the region. Chaudhry Latif Akbar, acting President and Speaker of the AJK Assembly Chaudhry administered the oath. AJK President Barrister Sultan Mahmood did not attend the ceremony due to illness.
Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore attended the ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Muzaffarabad. Officials said the event formally launched the new government’s administrative structure after weeks of political negotiations.
Ministers and Advisers Take Oath in Muzaffarabad
Sixteen ministers and two advisers took oath during the ceremony. The prime minister administered the oath to the two advisers separately. The new cabinet does not include any members elected from refugee seats, a decision that drew attention across the political spectrum.
The cabinet formation follows the recent agreement signed between the AJK government and the Awami Action Committee under directives from the federal government. Officials said the agreement played a central role in moving the political process forward.
The oath-taking event drew a large audience, including former AJK prime ministers Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas. Senior government officials such as the chief secretary, inspector general of police, secretaries, department heads, and party workers were also present.
List of New Cabinet Members Announced
Those sworn in as ministers include Mian Abdul Waheed, Sardar Javed Ayub, Javed Budhanvi, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Diwan Ali Chughtai, Chaudhry Arshad, Chaudhry Rasheed, Chaudhry Qasim Majeed, Zia-ul-Qamar, Nabeela Ayub, Rafiq Nayar, Yasar Sultan, Syed Bazil Naqvi, Aamir Yasin, Sardar Mohammad Hussain, Chaudhry Ikhlaq, Sardar Faheem Akhtar Rabbani, and Ali Shan Soni.
Two advisors _ Sardar Ahmed Sagheer and Sardar Fahad Yaqoob took oath today. Portfolios of the cabinet members will be announced today.
