The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq.

The motion was approved with 36 members of the assembly voting in favour and two against.

The motion, submitted to the assembly secretariat by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday, named PPP lawmaker Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore as the successor.

Following the vote, Rathore was officially elected as the new Prime Minister of AJK.

The assembly session was presided over by Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar.

PPP member Chaudhry Qasim Majeed presented the no-confidence motion, which carried the signatures of PML-N AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir and former PM Raja Farooq Haider.

Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, who was elected prime minister in April 2023 with 48 votes, ceased to hold office after the motion’s success.

Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore becomes the 16th Prime Minister of AJK and the fourth prime minister of the current assembly.

Speaking after the vote, Chaudhry Anwarul Haq said he had intended to step down six months ago and expressed best wishes for the new leadership.