The newly formed 20-member cabinet of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) took oath on Wednesday in Muzaffarabad. The ceremony marked an important step in the region’s political transition following recent changes in the Legislative Assembly. The exact keyword “20-member” appeared as officials confirmed that the government has completed the appointment of its 20-member ministerial team.
The oath was administered by Speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly, Chaudhry Latif Akbar. He stepped in for President Barrister Sultan Chaudhry, who could not attend due to illness. The event was held at the President House and attended by the newly elected Prime Minister, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore.
The 20-member cabinet includes several senior political figures. Among those sworn in were Sardar Javed Ayub, Mian Waheed, Javed Budhanvi, and Malik Zafar. Other members joining the cabinet were Diwan Chughtai, Chaudhry Arshad, Qasim Majeed, Zia-ul-Qamar, and Chaudhry Rashid. Their inclusion signals a diverse mix of experience and representation within the new setup.
Additional ministers who took oath included Nabeela Ayub, Rafiq Neer, Yasir Sultan, Bazil Naqvi, Amir Yaseen, Muhammad Hussain Chaudhry, Ikhlaq Faheem, Akhtar Rabbani, and Ali Shan Sony. The full cabinet is expected to take on key administrative roles as the new government begins its work.
Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore had taken oath a day earlier. His oath was also administered by Chaudhry Latif Akbar, who served as acting president for the ceremony. The event saw the presence of prominent leaders including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Faryal Talpur, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, and Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Syed Mehdi Shah. Several senior political figures and former AJK leaders also attended.
The new government was formed shortly after the Legislative Assembly passed a no-confidence motion against former Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq. The motion ended his tenure and opened the way for the leadership change in AJK.
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