PML-N distances itself from AJK government, calls for transparent elections

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday announced its withdrawal from the coalition government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), declaring that it will now sit in the opposition benches.

In a statement, PML-N AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir said the party would not become part of any new government formation and would stay away from what he described as “unnatural political arrangements.”

“If the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) moves a no-confidence motion, it is their democratic right,” Qadir said, adding that the PML-N would not oppose such constitutional moves.

He stressed that only transparent general elections could pave the way for a stable and legitimate government in AJK. “A strong government in Azad Kashmir can only be established through fair and free polls,” he remarked.

The PML-N leader also cautioned that any member who defied party policy would face disciplinary action.

Qadir reaffirmed that the PML-N in AJK remained committed to the welfare of refugees and overseas Kashmiris, adding that the party would continue playing a constructive role in resolving constitutional and political crises.