PTI distances itself from no-confidence vote, premiership election in AJK

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has announced it will distance itself from the opposition alliance’s no-confidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s prime minister and the subsequent process to elect a new prime minister, calling the move a “political game” aimed at undermining public representation.

PTI’s top leadership attended a high-level meeting at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss the political situation. The party decided to remain separate from the no-confidence and election process, but vowed to continue to represent the public in the assembly and give the incoming government a “tough time.”

After the meeting, PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja said, “A political game is being played in Azad Kashmir where the true representatives of the people are already present. Today you see the real political leadership of Kashmir in front of you.”

He recalled that earlier attempts had been made to “create artificial systems” in the region. “Earlier, our 29 MNAs were broken away and our members were declared independent,” he said, adding that PTI was never registered as a political party in Kashmir.

“The faces behind this system are the same powerful ones who are always behind everything,” Raja said. “The people and the state are now on opposite sides, and a gulf of lies has been created between them. This is a battle between truth and deception.”

Raja stressed that the PTI would “continue to stand before the people’s court and uphold their right to representation.” He added: “This is not political change; this is a game. PML-N and other parties are only engaged in a power struggle. PTI will remain with the people and away from those who betray them.”

He maintained that “Imran Khan is still alive in the hearts of the people,” adding, “Replacing one face with another is not a political victory.”

Senior PTI leader Khawaja Farooq Ahmed said that while the party may disagree with the federal government, “our hearts beat for the state of Pakistan.” He promised that PTI would do equally strong in the next elections.

“The whole party stands with its founding chairman,” he said. “As the leader of the opposition, I declare that this assembly has lost its credibility. A neutral election commission must be formed immediately to hold general elections. They want to install their own version of Sikandar Sultan Raja to manipulate the polls.”

Former AJK Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi said a “hybrid system” had been imposed in Azad Kashmir. “The people protested strongly and made their demands heard. PTI has led the fight to end this hybrid order,” he said. “Now that Prime Minister Anwarul Haq is failing, they are trying to bring back the same outdated system. We will remain detached from this entire process and demand the establishment of an independent election commission in Azad Kashmir.”