MUZAFFARABAD: The newly constituted 20-member cabinet of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) was sworn in during a ceremony held at the Presidential House in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday.
The oath of office was administered by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Chaudhry Latif Akbar, in the presence of AJK’s newly-elected Prime Minister, Sardar Faisal Mumtaz Rathore.
Comprising 18 ministers and 2 advisors, all members of the cabinet took their oaths at the event.
The ministers sworn into office include Sardar Faheem Rabbani, Chaudhry Ikhlaq, Yasir Sultan, Sardar Muhammad Hussain, Nabeela Ayub, Chaudhry Rashid, Chaudhry Arshad, Javed Iqbal Budhanvi, Javed Ayub, Qasim Majeed, Rafiq Nayer, Deewan Chughtai, Malik Zafar, Ziaul Qamar, Amir Yasin, Bazil Naqvi, Mian Abdul Waheed, and Ali Shan Soni. Additionally, two advisors assumed their roles after being sworn in by the prime minister.
According to insiders, the formation of this cabinet is anticipated to bolster the government and ensure political stability, paving the way for the implementation of its planned projects and policies.
The process of forming the cabinet experienced delays after an initial proposal limiting members to ten was rejected by assembly members, necessitating further consultations.
These discussions were spearheaded by PPP leader Faryal Talpur alongside Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore. Following the finalization of the list of ministers and their respective portfolios, the swearing-in ceremony was conducted as planned on Wednesday.
