Non completion of an iconic Bridge adds to peoples' woes in Muzaffarabad

The completion of an iconic bridge in the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) may witness further delay, much to the exasperation of the people here, thanks to the non-clearance of contractor’s liabilities by the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra).

Construction work on the state of the art cable stayed ‘Earthquake Memorial Bridge’ which according to the latest deadline was to finish by December 31, 2013 has recently been suspended by the contractor – Ghulam Rasool and Company (GRC) - allegedly because Erra owed it more than Rs 200 million as “work done liabilities,” it has been learnt.

 “Its not possible for any company to continue work when its liabilities of such volume are not cleared in time. So far we did not suspend work to save the reputation of our company but now it’s beyond our control,” said a representative of the construction company, while pleading anonymity.

However, officials associated with the project say its not only the clearance of the work done liabilities, but assurance of the provision of remaining funds for the completion of the project was also remains a greater concern for them. 

Designed by the Japanese organisations - Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and Nippon Koei - the bridge will ease the ever rising and irritating traffic congestions here by connecting Naluchi and Chattar neighbourhoods on the right and left banks of River Jhelum, respectively, and its why the people are much solicitous about its completion.

According to officials, the earthquake resistant bridge, which is around 84 metres above the river level and hence also invulnerable to floods, comprises three portions.

The western portion (towards Naluchi) and eastern portion (towards Chattar) measure around 168 and 60 metres, respectively, whereas the extra-dosed middle portion measures 246 metres. The width of the bridge, including walkways on both sides, is 15 metres.

The bridge and 452 metre long approach roads on both sides are part of Rs 1.382 billion package-I allotted to GRC whereas Rs 451 million package-II, comprising 4-kilometre long Western Bypass, has been allotted to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). The bypass begins from Naluchi side of bridge and joins the Neelum valley road near Chehla Bandi.

The whole project, after hitting many snags, had started in May 2009 and was estimated to be completed in 33 months in January 2012. However, it met delays due to three main issues, including the cash flow, acquisition of land and the massive February 2010 flood from Zalzal Lake.

According to officials, the cash flow issue had been at its worst in 2012-13 and the ongoing 2013-14, thus badly affecting the progress.

“Had the funds been made available in time according to the requirements, the bridge could have been made operational much before the 8^th anniversary of the earthquake on October 8, 2013,” one official confided this scribe.

So far almost 90 per cent work has been completed but work on the final closing segment - adjoining the middle portion with western and eastern positions – has been held up due to cash flow issue.

After the connection of all three portions, apparently unseen allied works, such as electrification of bridge, readjustment of external cables, construction of stairs and laying of asphalt, would consume some time.

However, the officials were uncertain as to when the bridge would be inaugurated for traffic, saying it could take at least four months after clearance of outstanding payments and assurance of instant provision of remaining funds.

Meanwhile, irked by the sluggishness of construction work, Markazi Anjuman e Tajran, an important body of local traders, has announced to stage a sit-in on the eastern side of bridge on Tuesday, when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visits the town to preside over the budget session of the AJK Council.

“Due to the non completion of this bridge, the town is experiencing worst traffic jams and resultantly patients, students are suffering in particular…But Erra and other authorities seem to be heedless of it,” said association’s president Shaukat Nawaz Mir.

"We will draw attention of Prime Minister Sharif towards our plight due to non completion of this pivotal project through a peaceful protest," he declared.

AJK ministers live in MLA Hostel to save house rent

Over a dozen public office holders in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), including the Legislative Assembly speaker and deputy speaker, are availing themselves of subsidised or free accommodation in state owned hostels while claiming a handsome amount from state exchequer as house rent.

AJK cabinet members are entitled to an official residence in the state capital or a monthly rent of Rs 55,000 if they opt to live in a private house.

Similarly, the speaker and deputy speaker of the Legislative Assembly can also avail an official residence or claim Rs 25,000 per month as rent for private residences.

 However, instead of residing in official or private residences, several ministers in addition to the speaker and deputy speaker reside in the Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) hostel whenever they are in the AJK capital.

Opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N has termed the practice unlawful  and unethical even though there is no specific law which declares this practice illegal.

The opposition maintains that ministers are part of the government and entitled to certain privileges which MLAs do not have.

Legislative Assembly speaker Sardar Ghulam Sadiq, who is himself a beneficiary, has acknowledged this practice as “unethical.”

According to details, gathered by this scribe, of the 24 AJK ministers, only five – minister for local government Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin (senior minister), minister for college education Muhammad Matloob Inqalabi, minister for physical planning and housing Chaudhry Pervaiz Ashraf, minister for agriculture Sardar Akhtar Hussain Rabbani and minister for Azad Kashmir Loggin and Sawmills Corporation Faisal Mumtaz Rathore – have acquired official residences in the ministers’ colony here.

Minister for social welfare Farzana Ahmed, who is daughter of AJK President Sardar Yaqoob Khan, shares his father’s official residence whenever she visits Muzaffarabad to attend her office, while minister for health Sardar Qamaruz Zaman has turned a hostel-cum-guesthouse at Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) Muzaffarabad into his humble abode for the past two years, without any costs.

Three cabinet members – minister for finance Chaudhry Latif Akbar, minister for rehabilitation Abdul Majid Khan and minister for information Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi - live in their personal houses here while minister for works Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed, minister for forests Sardar Javaid Ayub, minister for school education Mian Abdul Waheed and minister for revenue Chaudhry Ali Shan Soni have hired private houses, though at comparatively low rent.  

However, 10 cabinet members – minister for law Syed Azhar Hussain Gillani, minister for environment Shazia Khatoon, minister for sports Saleem Butt, minister for transport Tahir Khokhar, minister for tourism Abdul Salam Butt, minister for prisons Raja Wajid ur Rehman, minister for Zakat and Ushar Chaudhry Afsar Shahid, minister for food Javed Iqbal Budhanvi and ministers without portfolios Chaudhry Akbar Ibrahim and Muhammad Hussain Sargala - have neither opted for an official nor private house, and instead have been living in the MLA Hostel, while paying peanuts.

It may be relevant to mention here that daily rent of a single, double and family room in the MLA Hostel is Rs 175, Rs 200, and Rs 300, respectively, for sitting or former MLAs while others - officials and private guests - are charged Rs 800, Rs 1000 and Rs 2000 for the same rooms.

Sources said Mr Afsar Shahid, Mr Sargala, Ms Shazia Khatoon and deputy speaker Shaheen Kausar Dar had acquired family rooms on monthly basis, paying Rs 9000 per month, whereas the rest, including the Speaker, would hire a room during their presence in the capital against Rs 200 or 300 per night.

According to sources, since these AJK ministers spent very little time in Muzaffarabad, they preferred to live in the hostels instead of renting a house.

“Using the MLA hostel for accommodation suggests the cabinet members are spending little time at the seat of their government,” a source said.

Interestingly, in 2009, four prefabricated bungalows were built on the premises of Legislative Assembly as Speaker House, Deputy Speaker House, Leader of the Opposition House and LA Secretary House.

However, none of these bungalows were ever inhabited by their prospective allottees and instead they were also made part of the MLA Hostel.

Commenting on the ministers’ practice, opposition PML-N MLA Chaudhry Tariq Farooq said: “This is the height of an illegal as well as unethical practice. Since they are living in an official accommodation, the Accountant General’s Office should stop paying them house rent.”

Mr Farooq recalled that last year he had also drawn speaker’s attention towards this “devious practice” on the floor of the house but to no avail.

However, when contacted by this scribe, the speaker maintained that the ministers were “compelled to live in the MLA Hostel.”

“All of them have applied for official residences and we have also frequently written to the government to provide them the same. But that’s not happening due to unavailability of official houses,” he claimed.

However, when asked was it not unethical to pay just Rs 200-300 per night while claiming Rs 55000 per month, he said: “I agree it’s not ethical.”

Regarding his use of hostel, he said he planned to declare one of the four bungalows as “Speaker House” “but couldn’t do it because it would reduce the number of (currently 52) rooms in MLA Hostel.”

Even the LA secretary Chaudhry Basharat Hussain, a BPS-21 official, was also imitating the ministers by staying in MLA Hostel and paying Rs 200 per night for a family room, under the speaker’s approval.

The speaker however said he was thinking of reviewing that order....Tariq Naqash

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Critics suspicious of senior minister's announcement on LB polls in AJK

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government announced on Thursday it would hold the long due local bodies (LB) polls on party basis in April next year. However, critics in opposition as well as within the ruling People Party were sceptical about the seriousness of the government in this regard, recalling a similar 2-year old proclamation. 

“The Peoples Party government has decided to hold local bodies elections after 22 years under the previous (LB) system in order to transfer powers at the grassroots level and solidity of democracy and democratic institutions,” said Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin, AJK’s senior minister for local government and rural development (LG&RD).

“The local governments coming into existence as a result of LB polls will address concerns of people regarding civic amenities without any delay besides serving as nurseries for democracy,” he said.

The last LB polls were held in AJK in 1991 during the Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan led Muslim Conference government. However, when next LB polls became due in 1995, the MC government put them in abeyance, reportedly to avert friction in its ranks ahead of 1996 general elections.

Soon after assuming office in July 1996, the then Barrister Sultan Mahmood led Peoples Party government also announced to hold LB polls on party basis November 16, the same year.

According to official sources, Rs 4.6 million surety was deposited by the candidates throughout AJK. However, the polls were cancelled apparently for correction of voter lists but in effect to avoid any risks in the wake of dissolution of Benazir Bhutto government in Islamabad.  That surety has not been refunded to the candidates to this day.

Ever since 1995, the charge of LB institutions is being given by every government to ‘administrators’ who are either government officials or ruling party leaders. 

The senior minister claimed that compilation of electoral rolls, appointment of election commissioner for local bodies and allied staff, and demarcation of wards would be completed within the next six months to hold the LB polls in April 2014.

However, main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) took the minister’s announcement with a pinch of salt “because the PPAJK government had so far proved that it did not believe in honouring its commitments.”

“Not too long ago, our party brought a resolution in the Legislative Assembly for LB polls but tha was opposed by the treasury benches,” said PML-N MLA Dr Najeeb Naqi, who is also vice president of party’s AJK chapter.

“They (government) claim themselves to be the champions of democracy but are running these institutions undemocratically through handpicked party loyalists… Given their track record I am not sure they will keep their word,” he added.

“Our party is all out for LB polls and want them to be held without further ado.”

Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, vice president of ruling PPAJK, also expressed doubt that the government would honour its latest announcement, which was also party’s commitment in the election manifesto.

“Unfortunately, Chaudhry Abdul Majeed led government’s performance has been abysmally poor and this announcement seems to be a stunt to divert attention from that and also to give a lollipop to disheartened party workers,” said the rebel leader.

He said the sincerity of the government would become clear after provision of funds to the election commission for compilation of computerised electoral rolls.

“Otherwise, it would be yet another hoax.”

It may be recalled that in October 2011, Mr Yasin had told a press conference in Mirpur that the LB polls would be held after six months..... Tariq Naqash 

Suspicion raised about upcoming test/interviews as 3000 apply for 48 already filled posts in AJK Assembly

        The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly secretariat has received more than 3000 applications for the 48 non-gazetted posts advertised last week, in what reflects growing unemployment in the region.

However, little does majority of the applicants know that it would merely be waste of time, energy and money for them, as the people already holding these positions are most likely to be regularised through the duplicitous selection process, it has been learnt. 

Interestingly, a group of ruling Peoples Party workers, led by Khawaja Atif Bashir, has already voiced serious concern about the “underhand recruitment procedures” in AJK Legislative Assembly, by staging a demonstration on a bustling thoroughfare here, during which an effigy of Speaker Sardar Ghulam Sadiq was also torched.

Background interviews by this scribe with Legislative Assembly officials, who declined to be identified for fear of grudge-bearing actions by their high ups, revealed that every speaker had been clandestinely creating posts, making appointments of favourites and later getting them confirmed through so called test/interviews by the departmental selection committee(s).

The recently advertised positions had once again brought this iniquitous practice into spotlight as, according to insiders, all were already filled by two former speakers  - Shah Ghulam Qadir and Chaudhry Anwaar ul Haq - as well as the incumbent speaker.

According to the AJK Legislative Assembly Recruitment (Terms and Conditions) Act, 1976, the speaker can create any new post up to BPS-16, without the approval of Finance Committee, which he heads himself.

He can also create posts in BPS-17 and above but for a period of six months. For creation of BPS-17 and above posts on permanent basis, Finance Committee’s approval is required.

Mr Qadir, who remained speaker from July 2006 to August 2010, had created 12 posts, whereas Mr Haq had created 39 posts from August 2010 to July 2011. The incumbent speaker, who assumed this office in July 2011, had so far created 6 posts, according to Legislative Assembly secretary Chaudhry Basharat Hussain.

It may be relevant to mention here that the AJK Finance Department was at odds with the LA secretariat for “wanton creation of posts” in it and had not included these 57 posts in the current year’s budget, notwithstanding their “approval by the Legislative Assembly’s Finance Committee,” where lone dissenting voice was raised by PML-N legislator Chaudhry Tariq Farooq.

Sources said apart from the fresh posts, the speakers had also been making appointments against other posts falling vacant due to promotions, up-gradations or retirements of employees. Even the incumbent speaker had so far made at least 18 appointments in the same fashion.

Interestingly, speaker’s own son Khurrum Sadiq was inducted as ‘protocol officer’ in BPS-17 in August 2011 allegedly through a backdated order (issued) by Mr Haq, whereas information minister Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi’s younger brother Basit Naqvi was inducted by Mr Haq as assistant protocol officer in BPS-16, after the announcement of June 2011 election schedule.

The duo was separately confirmed over the last four months by “fulfilling the formality of advertisement and subsequent test/interviews by the departmental selection committees,” source said.

The committee which found Khurrum Sadiq “suitable” for the post was headed by deputy speaker Shaheen Dar.

The selection of incumbent speaker’s son was reminiscent of confirmation in 2004 of the son and brother in law of the then speaker Sardar Siab Khalid against two gazetted posts by a committee, headed by the then secretary who had in return got his own son confirmed in the same manner.

Sources confided that while 48 posts had been advertised for confirmation of the incumbents after stoppage of their salaries by the Accountant General’s office, at least 30 more posts, also already being occupied, were yet to be put to the same process.

At the moment, the strength of the AJK Legislative Assembly secretariat staffers has touched the figure of 379. This is too high strength for a (currently) 48-member house, which hardly meets for more than 25 days in a calendar year.

When questioned by this scribe as to why it had taken too long to advertise these posts, Speaker Ghulam Sadiq said these posts were created and temporarily filled before his period without advertising them and after assuming office he had twice passed orders for test/interviews but the process got delayed “due to one or the other reason.”

He claimed he was the only speaker who had not created any post, but later admitted he had also created six posts.

When his attention was drawn to the previous practice of confirming the incumbents through test/interviews, he said: “It’s the responsibility of the (selection) committee to make selections on merit, even if it goes against the incumbents.”

LA secretary also vowed that as member of the selection committee he would “try his best to make selections on merit.”

Meanwhile, the demonstrators at the CMH Road called upon the AJK’s superior judiciary and Ehtesab Bureau to take notice of “slaughter of merit and morality in the LA secretariat.”

 “Its not just injustice but ruthlessness. Poor dupes do not know that this process is merely an eyewash,” said young PPAJK leader Khawaja Atif Bashir…. Tariq Naqash

Neelum Valley women up in arms about anti-peace moves in their area

 Concerned at the escalating tensions along the Line of Control (LoC), a group of women staged a demonstration in Neelum valley on Tuesday for continuity of peace in their area, which had long borne the brunt of cross border shelling before the rival troops struck a truce agreement in 2003.

Official sources told this scribe that over three dozen women, led by Ms Sarwar Jan, Chaand Bibi and Arifa Bibi, took out a rally from Athmuqam, district headquarters of Neelum Valley, and ended it at a nearby Pakistan army installation.

Earlier, according to some witnesses, the police tried to stop them within the town, but later gave in to their insistence to see the local military commander. 

“Indian shelling, unacceptable. We want peace,” read one of the several placards, the women were carrying on the occasion.

“UNO play your role in revival of peace along the LoC,” read another placard.

Speaking to the local army commander, representatives of demonstrators recalled that Neelum valley people had fought Indian aggression for over a decade and offered innumerable physical and material sacrifices.

“Even today we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces, but we are not able to offer more sacrifices, and want revival of complete peace in our valley,” they told the military official.

They stressed that Islamabad should forcefully call upon the United Nations to take stock of recent ceasefire violations by Indian troops and play its role for revival of peace.

They also expressed serious concern at alleged movement of the activists of some outlawed militant groups in their area and called for “reining them in for the sake of peace.”

Witnesses and official sources told Dawn that the military commander assured the demonstrators that he would convey their concerns and demands to the authorities concerned.

Arifa Bibi later told local journalists that tensions along the LoC were a great conspiracy against the democracy in Pakistan and asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take its immediate notice.

“The government should strictly ban the movement of extremists in our area so that the much cherished peace remains intact,” she said.  

It may be recalled that it’s not the first time when Neelum valley residents have voiced their concern in the face of threat to the peace in their area.

In August last year, residents of Neelum valley staged a shutter down strike for maintenance of peace along the LoC and suppression of the alleged activities of some outlawed militant groups in their area.

In 2011, when three Pakistani soldiers were killed in unprovoked Indian shelling, the valley residents, fearful of the pre-ceasefire nightmarish conditions, had taken out a big rally in Athmuqam on the day of Eidul Fitr, calling upon Islamabad and New Delhi to exercise restraint and maintain truce along the dividing line.

Prior to that, in July 2008 around four dozen women, led by Chaand Bibi, had staged a barefoot march and a symbolic sit-in in Athmuqam against the “growing activities of some militant groups” which they feared could harm the truce along the LoC.

FEAR OF DISPLACEMENTS

The demonstration in Athmuqam coincided with unprovoked shelling by Indian troops in Nakial sector of Kotli district, triggering panic and fears of displacements after a decade long gap.

“They (Indian troops) started shelling at 8:45 am in the morning, yet again without any provocation, targeting various villages of Nakial sector with small weapons and mortars,” deputy commissioner Kotli Masoodur Rehman told this blogger.

However, fortunately there were no casualties, he said. 

He regretted that the Indian troops were “brazenly targeting civilian populations” which had compelled the administration to consider relocation of affected people, where unavoidable.

He said the administration had re-activated “Village Coordination Committees” (VCC), comprising notables of border areas, to take decisions regarding relocation of affected people in consultation with them.  

Nakial sector has seen 11 persons, including a soldier, wounded over the past one week. According to Pakistani military sources, Indian troops had pounded 800 shells in this sector alone on Thursday.

“This indicates that Indians seem to be in no mood to let the peace prevail along the dividing line,” Mr Rehman said.

At least 20 houses and 3 vehicles were completely or partially damaged, and over 10 buffaloes, each costing 100 to 150 thousand rupees, killed and several other cattle injured in Nakial sector in one week, meaning thereby the people had started suffering economically as well, he added.

It may be recalled that prior to the November 2003 ceasefire along the LoC, displacements and relocations of affected populations were a regular occurrence. The truce however had brought an end to this painful activity.... Tariq Naqash

AJK civil society protests against killing of Kashmiris by India

Civil society activists held a candle-light protest in Muzaffarabad on Friday evening against the killing of four residents of Neelum valley by the Indian army, and urged Islamabad to use its offices for the recovery of their bodies.

Four Neelum valley residents — Zaafran, son of Ghulam Sarwar, Shahzaman, son of Mohammad Younas, Wajid Akbar, son of Ali Akbar, and Faisal Iqbal, son of Sher Zaman — went missing on July 29.

It turned out later that they had been killed by the Indian army on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC).

According to their relatives, the victims were collecting a medicinal plant — Tripatra or Barseem (Red Clove) — along the unmarked dividing line when the Indian army “arrested and took them across”.

An Indian magazine, Firstpost, quoting an FIR registered in a police station in the India-held territory on July 30 on behalf of the 56-Rashtriya Rifles, disclosed that the four were killed by the army near Katwar Post late on the preceding night as “unidentified Pakistani intruders”.

The FIR recorded the army’s statement that it recovered one AK-56 assault rifle, three pistols and a 12-bore shotgun from the group.

However, even some Indian officials were skeptical about the claim. The FirstPost also quoted a senior Indian army officer, based in occupied Kashmir, as pointing out that "it was unusual for an infiltrating group of four terrorists to possess only one assault rifle, and no grenades or communication equipment."

The protest in Muzaffarabad was organised through the social networking site, Facebook, by members of a group, namely AJK Civil Society Forum.

It began at the Central Press Club and culminated on the main road outside, where the demonstrators lined up at the pavement and lighted candles.

They were holding placards seeking an end to killing of innocent Kashmiris by India.

"Stop genocide of Kashmiris," read one placard. 

“They were innocent citizens, but the Indian army arrested them from Pakistani territory and killed them in cold blood,” said Mir Adnan Rehman, one of the organisers of the protest.

He regretted that Islamabad was yet to highlight this violation of the LoC in a forceful manner.

Pakistan should take effective steps to get back the bodies of the victims to be buried by their relatives in their ancestral areas, he said.

Lawyer Raza Ali Khan said the Indian government and the media were launching an unending offensive against Pakistan on flimsy grounds, while Pakistan government was unable to highlight the excesses by the Indian army within the held territory as well as in areas along the LoC.

The demonstrators also vented anger at mainstream Pakistani media for not "properly focusing attention on unrelenting ceasefire violations by the Indian army and its adverse effects on the lives of border area residents.” 

"Why Pakistani media is silent over the killings of Kashmiris," questioned another placard. 

It may be mentioned here that residents of border areas in AJK allege that Indian military often whisks away civilians as they herd cattle, cut fodder or pick fuel wood or medicinal plants along the LoC.

In June 2009, deputy commissioner Neelum Ahmed Attaullah had confirmed that a Valley resident, identified as Manzoor Ahmed, was “picked up and taken across by the Indian troops near Tejian village."

Prior to that, in September 2007, three men went missing from Dhakki and Chaknar hamlets of Neelum Valley and their relatives alleged they were kidnapped by the Indian troops from this side of the LoC... Tariq Naqash

Nawaz Sharif's decision on no trust move leaves his party wretched in AJK

No doubt, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s decision to keep the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) chapter of his Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) away from the no confidence move against AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed has given new lease of life to the latter, but many believe it has wreaked havoc on his own party in the region.

Mr Sharif’s decision came like a bolt from the blue for the PML-N AJK leaders, who had thrown their weight behind the no trust resolution to “rid the people of AJK of a corrupt, inefficient and unscrupulous regime” after a lengthy meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday (July 24).

At the same meeting, a charge sheet against Mr Majeed, citing alleged corruption of his government in mega deals, was also handed over to Mr Haider, on the basis of which it was finally decided that the party must lend support to the no trust resolution.

If one is to believe an Islamabad based anchor of Kashmiri origin, Mr Sharif invited him for a briefing on the “merits and demerits” of (supporting) the no trust move, following which he took decision that his party would remain “impartial.” 

 The anchor, who declined to be quoted, claimed before this scribe that Mr Sharif had no prior formal intimation of the political manoeuvres of his party’s AJK chapter and that he (PM) had come to know about its support to the no trust move from the TV tickers and newspaper clippings.

Mr Sharif is deadly against the culture of lota cracy – a term for turncoats in Pakistan – and that’s why he decided to keep his party away from the move, stressed the anchor.

What added insult to the injury was the fact the Mr Sharif did not give audience to PML-N AJK president Raja Farooq Haider to hear from the horse’s mouth reasons and justification for the supporting the move.

Instead, during his meeting with the anchor, he spoke to Mr Majeed for about 10 minutes on phone, but did not bother to contact Haider, his handpicked representative in AJK. 

Background interviews with PML-N leaders and other sources revealed that it was not that Mr Sharif was completely blank about the no trust move as at least two of his confidants - minister for information Pervaiz Rasheed and minister for Kashmir affairs Barjees Tahir - were not only aware of what the party’s AJK chapter was up to but had also expressed their support.

According to one PML-N sources, the information minister had uttered a famous Persian verse, Hama’n Yara’n Dozakh, Hama’n Yara’n Bahisht (Together with friends in Hell or Heaven) before Mr Haider and PML-N AJK secretary general Shah Ghulam Qadir when the duo met him and told that they (PML-N AJK) had decided, “at the end of its tether, to support efforts to dislodge Mr Majeed’s corrupt government.”

On July 25, two days after the submission of no trust resolution, Barjees Tahir told the official APP news agency that PML-N AJK would support the no confidence move against Mr Majeed.  

Sources claimed that Mr Haider had been seeking an appointment from Mr Sharif for the past six weeks to seek guidance about the party’s strategy in AJK “where winds of change had started blowing.” At a chance meeting in Lahore, Mr Haider was compelled to send a chit to Mr Sharif scribbled with a request for a meeting but to no avail.

Recently, Mr Sharif made two tours to AJK to inspect and inaugurate hydropower projects, but could not spare time for a sitting with his party leaders here. Rather they felt he was offering them cold shoulders, sources added.

Soon after the TV channels started airing breaking news that Mr Sharif had decided to remain impartial in AJK, Mr Haider once again sought a meeting with Mr Sharif. He waited in Islamabad over the next 24 hours, but there was no call.

Finally, he invited his entire parliamentary party to meet in Islamabad, and the meeting lasted till 2 am on Friday during which the participants discussed, and of course vented anger at, what had been done by their leadership at the last moment.

The message that the PML-N will remain impartial in AJK was repeated at the federal cabinet meeting earlier in the day. And to ensure that the PML-N AJK leaders should not take any otherwise decision at the meeting, they were again reminded of it in a “strong worded” message shortly before the commencement of their meeting.

“Prime Minister (Sharif) has taken a decision and if anybody does not fall in line, he will have to face the music,” Mr Rasheed told Mr Haider by phone, without mincing words.

The meeting heard charged speeches, and Mr Haider, who otherwise carries the reputation of a straightforward, rather blunt, leader, kept on listening in a virtual state of helplessness. Finally, the majority’s opinion prevailed that the party must live with this situation or else they could “earn ire of Mian sahib.”

It would not be out of place to recall that when PML-N was being launched in AJK, its leaders here had claimed that they would not act as “puppets” like that of the PPAJK leaders and instead would enjoy independence in their internal decisions.

However, the fate of their first ‘independent’ decision had made a mockery of their claims.

“People will rightfully ask us that will we submit ourselves in the same manner if tomorrow a decision on Kashmir issue is imposed on us in the same fashion,” one chagrined leader said.

Party leaders also wonder as to what stance will they take before the public about their oft-trumpeted allegations, which had also surfaced in the charge sheet.

Feeling wretched, many PML-N leaders and workers feel they would hardly be able to play the role of a vigorous and effective opposition in AJK against a government protected by none other than their own leader (Mr Sharif).

And many party workers have already started posing hard-hitting comments and questions on social media.

The PML-N cadres are of the view that while their central leadership kept on maintaining that they would remain impartial in AJK, practically it had interfered in AJK to rescue Mr Majeed’s government.

They believe that they have been sacrificed at the altar of their party’s interests in Pakistan, and for the second time.

Previously, at the time of election of special seats of AJK Assembly, the PML-N leadership took its AJK chapter by surprise by fielding Dr Fauzia Ashraf for one reserved seat it was able to grab.  The lady had not even visited AJK before that election, but she was gifted the membership because her spouse, Dr Tahir Javed of PML-Q, had formed a so-called “Unification Bloc” in the Punjab Assembly and his support was required to sustain the government of Shahbaz Sharif. Of course it was not lota cracy by any means. 

This time round it was perhaps the presidential election, as the PML-N leadership wanted not to annoy the PPP lest it might not leave the fray. However, that goal remained unachieved after the PPP announced its boycott of the presidential polls.

 And when earlier in the day a PML-N delegation visited nine zero in Karachi to seek support of the MQM for its presidential candidate Mamnoon Hussain, many people were reminded of Mr Sharif’s earlier statements against the urban Sindh based party, which he had held responsible for all acts of terrorism in Karachi.

Of course that too had nothing to do with the lota cracy or morality as was questioned by many on the social media, instantly.

All said and done, the PML N leaders in AJK, who were eyeing next government in AJK, are worried as to how they will do the damage control and make ordinary voters believe that they do enjoy assertiveness, independence, credibility and status before their central leadership that will eventually help them safeguard the interests of this region.

“I don’t think any political force in AJK will trust us in future. Instead, they may prefer to talk to the anchorpersons whose views are more valuable for our leader (Mr Sharif) than our observations and sentiments,” summed up one of the PML-N leaders here.

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