Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has declared that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is on the verge of forming its government in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), claiming that the party has now achieved the required numbers in the legislative assembly.
Speaking to the media, Kundi stated that the PPP has reached the numerical strength necessary to establish a government. “We have completed our required numbers. Very soon, we will form our government in Kashmir,” he said confidently, suggesting that the political dynamics in the region are rapidly shifting in PPP’s favor.
The development follows a significant political realignment in Azad Kashmir, where nine ministers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) forward bloc announced their decision to join the PPP just a day earlier. Their defection has bolstered PPP’s presence in the AJK Legislative Assembly, raising the party’s total strength to 27 members — a figure that potentially allows it to claim a governing majority.
This surge in numbers marks a turning point in AJK’s political landscape, as PPP positions itself to reclaim influence in a region that has been under PTI’s control since the 2021 elections. The defection of key PTI figures is being seen as both a strategic victory for the PPP and a serious blow to PTI’s internal cohesion.
Political analysts believe that the PPP’s resurgence in Azad Kashmir is part of a broader plan to strengthen its footprint across Pakistan’s federating units, particularly following its recent organizational gains in Sindh and southern Punjab.
Party insiders suggest that PPP leadership, including Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari, have been in close contact with AJK legislators over the past few weeks to build consensus and ensure a smooth transition of power.
