Former Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) prime minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas on Wednesday announced his decision to join the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).
The announcement came after a meeting with IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan and State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Awn Choudhary.
IPP chief and federal minister Aleem Khan welcomed Tanveer Ilyas into the party by presenting him with the IPP party muffler during the meeting.
The development comes after Tanveer Ilyas Khan resigned from the primary membership of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP-AJK chapter) after days of unsuccessful negotiations over election tickets, a development that political observers have described as a setback for the party ahead of the July-27 AJK Legislative Assembly elections, The News reported on Wednesday.
Sources said the dispute mainly revolved around the allocation of party tickets for the upcoming AJK elections. Sardar Ilyas had sought party tickets for several constituencies, including Bagh Central, Pachiot, Upper Neelum and Rawalakot City, but the issue of Bagh Central seat remained a major hurdle during negotiations.
In a related development, AJK government minister Ali Shan Soni also resigned from the PPP-AJK’s primary membership, adding to concerns within party circles over the possible political impact of the departures.
Earlier this month, the AJK Election Commission announced that the elections across the region would be held on July 27. The last elections in the region were held in July 2021.