Eight Azad Kashmir Ministers Assigned Portfolios

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has allocated portfolios to eight newly appointed cabinet ministers, according to a notification issued by the Services and General Administration Department.

Following approval from the AJK prime minister, Sardar Mir Akbar Khan has been given Public Health Engineering, Local Government and Rural Development. Col (retd) Waqar Noor will oversee Forests, Wildlife and Fisheries, while Dr Mustafa Bashir Abbasi has been assigned the Health Department.

Chaudhry Azhar Sadiq will handle Higher Education, Raja Saqib Majeed will oversee Power, Energy and Water Resources, and Raja Riasat Khan has been given Revenue and Rehabilitation.

Engineer Umair Naeem has been assigned Public Sector Development and Communication, while Abdul Rehman Arain will oversee Commerce, Industries and Labour, among other related departments.

The eight ministers took oath on Friday at the President’s House in Muzaffarabad. Acting AJK President Chaudhry Tariq Farooq administered the oath, with Prime Minister Iftikhar Ali Gilani, PML-N AJK leaders, lawmakers, senior government officials and other dignitaries in attendance.

The allocation of portfolios marks the beginning of the new government’s administrative operations. The cabinet is expected to be expanded further in the coming phase, with additional members likely to be assigned responsibilities.