MUZAFFARABAD (AJK): 23-member AJK cabinet was sworn in here Thursday and the oath was administered by President Raja Zulqarnain Khan. 

Among others, Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haidar Khan, President Muslim Conference Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, Chief Secretary Khalid Sultan, Inspector General AJK Police Javed Iqbal, Secretaries of different departments and high ups of AJK government were present on the occasion whereas, MC leaders and MC activists also participated in the oath taking ceremony. 

President Raja Zulqarnain felicitated the new cabinet members on taking oath of their offices.
 
The new cabinet members include Ch. Muhammad Yousuf, Sardar Siab Khalid, Naheed Tariq, Abdul Rashid Abbassi, Raja Naseer Ahmed, Syed Shoukat Ali Shah, Pir Attique ur-Rehman, Col(Retd) Muhammad Naseem, Ch. Ali Shan, Ch. Rukhsar, Sadar Qayoom Niazi, Noreen Arif, Raja Munsif Dad Khan, Sardar Farooq Ahmed Tahir, Muhammad Shafique Jirral, Ch.Muhammad Ismail, Syed Ghulam Murtaza Gilani, Hafiz Raza, Raja Muhammad Siddique, Sardar Muhammad Naeem Khan, Dr. Najeeb Naqi, Raja Nisar Ahmed Khan and Malik Muhammad Nawaz. Ms Nasreen Rani was sworn in as special advisor to the PM and her oath was administered by Premier Raja Farooq Haidar.

The portfolios of new cabinet members would be announced later. Earlier, the Chief Secretary Khalid Sultan read out the notification of the new cabinet. The oath taking ceremony was held in Bachelors Hostel constructed by Turkish government here last year.    

PM Farooq addresses Cabinet

The Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Farooq Haidar Khan has said government will uphold the rule of law, justice, merit and constitution in AJK. 

Addressing the new cabinet meeting here Thursday. He said that writ of the government would be established at any cost in the liberated territory. Expressing his determination to eliminate the corruption, nepotism and other social evils, he said that relations would be strengthened with the federal government.He said that cabinet would be empowered and respect of the ministers would be kept intact.
 
He said that cabinet meeting agenda would be settled with consultations of its members. The AJK PM was of the view that cabinet meeting would be held on monthly basis and every secretary of the respective department would be responsible to send the official file through his concerned ministry for final approval.

Raja Farooq Haidar said the vital political matters would be settled with consultation of President of the party. He thanked the Muslim Conference leadership including Party President Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, MC head Sardar Abdul Qayum Khan and Sardar Sikandar Hayyat Khan and MC workers for their hectic efforts for party unification.The AJK PM was of the view that unity of the party was vital for balancing political system.

Later, the new AJK cabinet in its informal meeting strongly condemned the Peshawar bomb blast in which scores of innocent citizens were killed and injured.The members offered fateh for the departed souls and prayed for early recovery of the injured.