MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi on Monday allotted portfolios to his 16-member cabinet, in exercise of his powers under rule 3 (4) of the Rules of Business, 1985.

All but one of these 16 ministers was appointed by Mr Niazi on Thursday, three weeks after assuming the office of prime minister.

According to a notification, issued by the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), physical planning and housing (PPH) and tourism were allotted to Sardar Tanvir Ilyas, the senior minister; local government and rural development (LG&RD) was given to Khawaja Farooq Ahmed; agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy development, irrigation and small dams were allotted to Sardar Mir Akbar, who held the lucrative portfolio of forests during the past five years of the PML-N government.

Abdul Majid Khan, Akmal Sargala who returned on Pakistan-based refugee seats get coveted slots

Among other departments, food was given to Chaudhry Ali Shan Soni; planning and development and environment to Chaudhry Mohammad Rashid; population welfare to Sardar Mohammad Hussain, power and water resources (previously referred to as electricity and power development organisation) to Chaudhry Arshad Hussain; elementary and secondary education, and Technical and Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) to Deevan Ali Chughtai; social welfare and women development to Shahida Saghir; communications and works to Azhar Sadiq; higher education to Zafar Iqbal Malick; revenue, stamps, rehabilitation and custodian (evacuee property) to Chaudhry Mohammad Akhlaque; health services to Nisar Ansar; law, justice, parliamentary affairs and information to Sardar Faheem Akhtar Rabbani.

All these ministers have returned from the AJK territory. Of the remaining two ministers, who have returned from Pakistan, Abdul Majid Khan was given finance and inland revenue and Mohammad Akmal Sargala was allotted forests, wildlife and fisheries. Unlike past traditions, both ministers from Pakistan-based refugees from occupied Jammu and Kashmir had been given the most important portfolios, which were previously allotted to lawmakers returning from the AJK territory.

Meanwhile, according to a separate S&GAD notification, the prime minister had approved “division of work” between advisers to the government, Chaudhry Maqbool Ahmed and Chaudhry Mohammad Akbar Ibrahim. Both have returned from Pakistan.

Mr Ahmed would look after commerce and industries, labour welfare, mineral resources, sericulture and government printing press and Mr Ibrahim would look after civil defence and disaster management, the notification said.

The posts of two advisers and as many special assistants were incorporated in the AJK Constitution through the 13th amendment but no oath of office was proposed for them.

An official at the S&GAD told Dawn that the division of work between them was approved by the premier under section 7 of the Rules of Business, 1985.

However, advisors would not enjoy the powers admissible to the ministers, such as posting, transfers of employees up to BS-18, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2021