Noreen Arif

Noreen Arif
نورین عارف
Member of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 August 2026
Preceded bySardar Muhammad Javed
ConstituencyLA-27 Muzaffarabad-I
In office
30 July 2016 – 3 August 2021
Preceded bySardar Muhammad Javed
Succeeded bySardar Muhammad Javed
ConstituencyLA-24 Muzaffarabad-I
In office
30 July 1996 – 25 July 2011
ConstituencyReserved seat for women
In office
15 June 1985 – 29 June 1990
ConstituencyReserved seat for women
Personal details
PartyPakistan Muslim League (N)

Noreen Arif (Urdu: نورین عارف) is a Pakistani politician who has been a member of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly since August 2026.[1][2][3] She previously served as a member of the Assembly from June 1985 to June 1990, from July 1996 to July 2011 and from July 2016 to August 2021.[4]

Political career

Arif was elected to the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly on a reserved seat for women as a candidate of All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJKMC) in the 1985, 1996, and 2001 elections.[5][4]

On 2 December 2004, she was sworn into the cabinet of Prime Minister Sikandar Hayat Khan, and was made the Advisor for Information.[6] On 16 August 2005, she was made the Minister for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Armed Services Board and Civil Defence.[7]

She was re-elected to the Assembly from LA-24 Muzaffarabad-I as an independent candidate in the 2006 Azad Kashmiri general election. She decided to run as an independent as she was refused the AJKMC nomination as the candidate in her constituency. After the election, she, along with three other AJKMC members who were denied nominations, formed the "Haqiqi" group, a breakaway faction of AJKMC.[8][5]

The "Haqiqi" group virtually ceased to exist when its three members joined the cabinet of Prime Minister Attique Ahmed Khan on 7 March 2008.[9] Arif was made the Minister for Information, Women Development and Cooperatives.[10]

On 14 January 2009, she was sworn into the cabinet of Prime Minister Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, and was made the Minister for Social Welfare, Women Development and Technical Education Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA).[11][12]

On 29 October 2009, she was sworn into the cabinet of Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan as Minister for Education and Schools.[13]

She was re-elected to the Assembly from LA-24 Muzaffarabad-I as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)) in the 2016 Azad Kashmiri general election. She received 19,490 votes and defeated Mir Attiq-ur-Rehman, a candidate of AJKMC.[14]

On 6 August 2016, she was sworn into the cabinet of Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan, and was made the Minister for Labour, Mineral Resources, Social Welfare, and Women Development.[15][16] After a cabinet re-shuffle on 7 November 2018, she was made the Minister for Industry and Women Development.[17]

She contested the 2021 Azad Kashmiri general election from LA-27 Muzaffarabad-I as a candidate of PML(N), but was unsuccessful. She was defeated by Sardar Muhammad Javed, a candidate of Pakistan People's Party (PPP).[18][19][20]

She was re-elected to the Assembly from LA-27 Muzaffarabad-I as a candidate of PML(N) in the 2026 Azad Kashmiri general election. She received 18,919 votes, while the runner-up, Sardar Tabarak Ali of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), received 18,621 votes.[21]

References

  1. ↑ Naqash, Tariq (2026-08-24). "Newly elected members of AJK Legislative Assembly take oath of office". Dawn. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
  2. ↑ "AJK polls: PML-N, PPP win one seat each in Muzaffarabad constituencies". Geo News. 5 August 2026. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "PML-N, PPP win one seat each in Muzaffarabad as rigging claims intensify". Pakistan Today. 5 August 2026. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Former Members - AJK Legislative Assembly". AJK Legislative Assembly. Archived from the original on 2026-02-17. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  5. 1 2 "Muslim Conference in crisis over tickets: Five ministers form group". Dawn. 2006-05-28. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  6. ↑ "New AJK advisor for information takes oath". Brecorder. 2004-12-03. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  7. ↑ "AJK PM's adviser made minister". Dawn. 2005-08-17. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  8. ↑ "Ruling MC secures 20 seats, AJKPP 7: Manipulation of results alleged". Dawn. 2006-07-13. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  9. ↑ "AJK cabinet gets four new ministers". Dawn. 2008-03-08. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  10. ↑ "AJK cabinet expanded". Dawn. 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  11. ↑ "11-member AJK cabinet sworn in". Dawn. 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  12. ↑ "Portfolios of 23-member AJK cabinet notified". Brecorder. 2009-01-28. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  13. ↑ "AJK ruling party is also its cabinet". Dawn. 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  14. ↑ "Noreen Arif of PML(N) wins from LA-24 Constituency". 2016-07-21. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  15. ↑ "Nine AJK ministers sworn in". Brecorder. 2016-08-07. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  16. ↑ "Aug 08, 2016 | AJK ministers get portfolios". Dawn Epaper. 2016-08-08. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  17. ↑ Naqash, Tariq (2018-11-08). "Portfolios of 11 AJK cabinet members reshuffled". Dawn. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  18. ↑ "Political parties field fewer women in Pakistan-administered Kashmir polls". Anadolu (in Turkish). Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  19. ↑ "PTI wins big in AJK elections". 24 News HD. 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  20. ↑ Abrar, Mian (2021-07-11). "PTI faces strong challenge from PPP as electioneering enters critical phase in AJK". Pakistan Today. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  21. ↑ LA-27 Muzaffarabad-I Form 27 (2026), 2026-08-05, retrieved 2026-08-05
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