Farooq Haider Khan

Raja Farooq Haider Khan (Urdu: راجہ فاروق حیدر خان‎) is a Kashmiri legislator and the current Prime Minister/Chief Minister of Pakistan administered Jammu & Kashmir. Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan took the oath for the Office of Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir on 31 July 2016 as the 9th Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. He belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz.^[1]

Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan belongs to well known political family & inherited the career from his family, his father Raja Muhammad Haider Khan (Late) led the Muslim Conference being the President of Muslim Conference two times i.e. in 1960 & 1963. His mother Mohterma Saeeda Khan (late) holds the honor to be the first female Member of AJ&K Legislative Assembly in the history of Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

His uncle Raja Muhammad Latif Khan was elected as a Member of AJ&K Legislative Assembly in 1970. His sister Miss Naureen Haider also remained a Member of AJ& K Legislative Assembly from 1991 to 1996.

Early life

Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider Khan born on 14 January 1955. He received his school education from Abbotabad Public School (APS) - (one of the most renowned & historic educational institution in the North West of Pakistan). After intermediate from A.P.S he completed the graduation from Govt. College Lahore-(one of the oldest seats of learning in the Muslim world).

Other posts held

From 1986 to 1990, he remained President of Muslim Conference District Muzaffarabad, AJ&K.

From 1989 to 2001, he remained Chairman Central Parliamentary Board of Muslim Conference AJ&K.

From 1997 to 2001, he remained General Secretary Muslim Conference AJ&K.

From 2004 to 2006, he remained Senior Deputy President Muslim Conference AJ&K.

In 1985, he was elected as a Member of AJ&K Legislative Assembly & held the portfolio of Senior Minister as well as Education Minister. In 1991, he was again elected as a Member of AJ&K Legislative Assembly & served as a Minister. From 2001 to 2003, He remained Chairman Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission.

From 2003 to 2006, he remained Special Assistant to Prime Minister of AJ&K.

In 2006, he was again elected as a Member of AJ&K Legislative Assembly and held the portfolio of Chairman Public Accounts Committee.

Priorities

1. The major duty set on high priority of present government is the rehabilitation programme.
2. Efficient Provision of Financial support in quake affected areas for the reconstruction of demolished houses before next winter.
3. Standardization of the Current Educational System and publicly introduced the Vocational Education.
4. Law Dominance, Rules and Merit will be inculcated. Financial discipline will be strictly observed.
5. Unemployment will be controlled and reduced to a credible extent.
6. Handicapped People will resurrect in District Headquarters and establishment of the Special Centers for Earthquake's victims to make them again a useful part of nation.
7. Planning related to Business activities and Society will improve.
8. Rehabilitation programme will be speed up that has initiated by the Previous Government.
9. Technical Education will be implemented in the field of education.
10. Tourism will be promoted.

Constitutional crisis in Azad Kashmir

The judicial crisis in Azad Kashmir aggravated when the presidential order to restore Justice Riaz Akhter as the chief justice was struck down by the Supreme Judicial Council led by acting Chief Justice Syed Manzoor Hussain Gillani.

Reinstated Chief Justice Riaz Akhter Chaudhry performed official duties in his chambers in the AJK Supreme Court Mirpur Circuit building for the second consecutive day along with the Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, who was also reinstated through the orders passed by AJK President Raja Zulqarnain Khan.

Similarly, acting AJK Chief Justice Syed Manzoor Hussain Gillani also performed his official duties at his office in the AJK Supreme Court building in Muzaffarabad. It is perhaps for the first time in the AJK's judicial history when two chief justices of the apex court performed their duties simultaneously in their chambers in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur Circuit buildings.

A large contingent of the police, led by DSP Irfan Salim, was deployed in front of the AJK Supreme Court Mirpur Circuit building hours before the arrival of the reinstated AJK chief justice.

Acting AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir at the advice of AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider had made AJK Chief Justice Riaz dysfunctional at the end of the week through two separate notifications after filing a reference against him in the Supreme Judicial Council. The order was reversed by Raja Zulqarnain Khan on Sunday after curtailing his visit to the United Kingdom.

Justice Riaz Akhter on Tuesday came to his office in the Mirpur Circuit building of the AJK Supreme Court in his official black Land Cruiser carrying the flag of the AJK chief justice. However, only lawyers and senior journalists covering the event were allowed to enter the Supreme Court building.

References