crisis looms large over ruling Muslim Conference

By Tariq Naqash
MUZAFFARABAD, June 23: The ruling Muslim Conference in Azad Jammu and Kashmir might experience another crisis amid reports that its president, Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, has allegedly struck an underhand deal with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership to dislodge Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider shortly after the approval of next year’s budget.
Background interviews with some credible treasury and opposition lawmakers confirmed that proverbial palace intrigues were in full swing to effect yet another political change in almost four years of present Legislative Assembly’s inception.
However, Mr Khan was unable to convince even his once trusted friends to support him for a change as they believed that the move could ultimately go to the benefit of PPP’s AJK chapter, sources said.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Haider dashed off to Islamabad to hold a morale-boosting meeting with Muslim League-N leader Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif but back in Muzaffarabad he had detailed a team of ministers “to convince Mr Khan to reconcile with the present dispensation.”
Though an official handout said Mr Sharif had reiterated his commitment to uphold and strengthen the ideological bonds between the PML and MC, sources however asserted that the former Pakistan PM had in fact assured Mr Haider of his all out support against any moves aimed at bringing political change in Muzaffarabad.
A credible source in the ruling party told this correspondent, which was later confirmed by an opposition lawmaker as well, that Mr Khan had agreed at a meeting with Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan affairs Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo that he would manipulate a no-trust move against Mr Haider and dissolve the assembly for fresh elections later this year.
Mr Wattoo had assured Sardar Attique that the 19 member opposition, comprising PPAJK, Peoples Muslim League, MQM and Friends Group, would support him if he pulled in only six lawmakers from his own party.
It was why Mr Wattoo had sanctioned development schemes worth Rs 400 million in the constituency of Mr Khan from the funds of AJK Council, sources said, adding Mr Khan had also softened his tone towards the central government which he was greeting with scathing criticism not too long ago.
According to sources, the planners believed that once the new government was formed in AJK initially with 19 opposition and 7 MC MLAs, other MC legislators would also jump onto the bandwagon shortly afterwards.
However, MLAs from Rajput tribe were to be kept out of the new setup, they said.
Sources further told that Mr Khan had recently met Peoples Muslim League president Barrister Sultan Mahmood and both had reportedly agreed to cooperate with each other in next elections.
There had been a similar understanding between him and the PPP leadership, they said.
Sources said PPP leadership had decided that their MLAs would not accept cabinet slots in the new government under Mr Khan, as they were eyeing the future setup.
Sources said if pushed to the wall Mr Haider could take the extreme step of dissolving assembly to frustrate the plans of Mr Khan.
“In such a situation, PML-N was bound to emerge on AJK’s political horizon,” they said.
A political analyst said it was a war of nerves and whoever managed to make the first strike will be triumphant.
Ends