New AJK PM’s son is Labour party's London councillor

ISLAMABAD: Newly-elected Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi’s son Zarar Qayyum is the Labour party’s councillor for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Councillor Zarar Qayyum stood on the Labour party’s ticket for the ward of West End and won against his Tory rival.

He was with his father yesterday in the Azad Kashmir Assembly as he took oath as the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir. Sardar Niazi's name was endorsed by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Zarar Qayyum, who is currently in Azad Kashmir campaigning for his father’s election, told Geo TV over the phone that his father will devote himself to serve the people of Azad Kashmir and will do his best to live up to the expectations of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“We are thankful to the Almighty that Qayyum Niazi has been given a chance to serve the people of Azad Kashmir. This was part of his election manifesto that if elected, he will do everything possible to create jobs and opportunities for the people of Kashmir. My father ran on the agenda of positive hope and he is resolute to deliver,” Zarar Qayyum said.

The Labour councillor added that the new PM of Azad Kashmir will work towards highlighting the case of Kashmiris for their rights and will use his previous political experience to mount a robust campaign within Pakistan, Azad Kashmir, and overseas.

“My father has spent all his life in politics. He has been elected because the voters have trust in him and he has always served the local people whether in the assembly or not.”

The news of Niazi’s nomination as the new PM of Azad Kashmir was announced by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Hussain Chaudhry on Twitter.

“After a long consultation and review of suggestions, the prime minister of Pakistan and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has nominated the newly-elected MLA Abdul Qayyum Niazi for the post of Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir,” he wrote.

The minister also termed Abdul Qayyum "a dynamic and genuine political activist, dedicated to his workers".

Abdul Qayyum Niazi was previously part of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJKMC) before leaving it to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) two years ago. He has been elected from the LA-18 Poonch-1 constituency of AJK.

He was also elected to the assembly from the platform of the Muslim Conference in 2006 and has also served as the minister of food.

The premier interviewed a total of five candidates for the post of prime minister of AJK, including Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Barrister Sultan Mahmood, Khawaja Farooq, Azhar Sadiq and Abdul Qayyum Niazi.

Like Zarar Qayyum, hundreds of other British Kashmiris travelled to Azad Kashmir to take part in elections.