AJK PM chairs first cabinet meeting, vows good governance and fast-track reforms

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore chaired his first cabinet meeting on Friday, outlining a governance agenda focused on transparency, efficiency and restoring public confidence.

Addressing cabinet members, the prime minister welcomed PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to Muzaffarabad and expressed gratitude to President Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Faryal Talpur for placing their trust in him.

Rathore praised the federal government’s announcement regarding the establishment of Danish Schools in AJK, calling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s initiative a step toward expanding educational opportunities in the region.

“We aim to move forward in the right direction without wasting a moment,” he stated, promising that pending matters left unresolved by the previous government would now be “fast-tracked.” He vowed to demonstrate “good governance before the people” and emphasized the need for decision-making that benefits all segments of society.

The prime minister stressed that reconnecting with citizens was essential: “Due to staying away from the people, the people have distanced themselves from us. Restoring their trust is a challenge, but I am confident we will move forward positively with the cooperation of the cabinet.”

Rathore directed that ministries be allotted to cabinet members immediately so “not a single moment is wasted.”

He also paid tribute to the security forces for their sacrifices in the war against terrorism and honoured the martyrs of the Kashmir freedom movement.