'No Trust Move' against AJK PM: reminiscent of the past

A no confidence resolution against Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed has been submitted in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly secretariat by two ruling Peoples Party (PPAJK) dissidents on Monday, reminding people of similar exercises of the past that had brought the entire system into disrepute.

In order to fulfil a constitutional requirement, the resolution has proposed the name of Barrister Sultan Mahmood – a top PPAJK leader who had held this office from 1996 to 2001 - as successor to the incumbent premier.

The no confidence move, which comes hardly a week before 67 year old Mr Majeed completes his two years in office, will decide his fate within a week of its submission in the Assembly.  

It is reminiscent of three similar and successful exercises between 2009 and 2010, which had generated critical opprobrium for the previous Assembly and its members.

“Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed has caused irreparable harm to Kashmir freedom movement, identity of the state, governance and developmental activities besides violating merit, ruining institutions, unlawfully distributing development funds and inducting favourites, instead of eligible persons in the Public Service Commission,” read an excerpt from the resolution, submitted by minister for rehabilitation Abdul Majid Khan and MLA Muhammad Hussain Sargala.  

The resolution levelled serious corruption charges against Mr Majeed, citing some allegedly controversial deals which had been repeatedly surfacing in the Legislative Assembly as well.

Mr Mahmood told this scribe that the move enjoyed support of around 17-18 members of ruling coalition as well as the entire opposition, including 11-member Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and 5-member Muslim Conference (MC).

“Actually, people from within the (ruling) Peoples Party had been aspiring for a change for long because of unrelenting corruption, bad governance and inattention to Kashmir cause by the present setup,” he said.

However, dismissing his claims, PPAJK secretary general and minister for finance Chaudhry Latif Akbar told a news conference in Muzaffarabad that Mr Majeed not only enjoyed the trust of PPAJK parliamentary party but also that of President Asif Ali Zardari, Ms Faryal Talpur and Syed Khurshid Shah.

“If Mr Mahmood proves his majority in the (PPAJK) parliamentary party, Prime Minister Majeed will step down on his own, there and then,” said Mr Akbar, who was flanked by five PPAJK lawmakers.  

He called upon the PML-N and MC to remain impartial in PPAJK’s internal rift.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should direct his party here to stay away from this dirty game. The way he (Mr Sharif) has shown respect to the mandate of other parties in Pakistan should be replicated in our area as well.”

However, late night reports confirmed that at least 10 cabinet members, including two from the MQM, had faxed their resignations to Prime Minister Majeed.

They included Chaudhry Arshad, Afsar Shahid, Abdul Majid Khan, Chaudhry Akbar Ibrahim, Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed, Akhtar Hussain Rabbani, Azhar Hussain Gillani, Ali Shan Soni, Tahir Khokhar and Salim Butt.

Thirteen members of the ruling coalition were at the residence of Mr Mahmood on Monday night, holding an important meeting and one of them confidently told this scribe from there that Mr Majeed’s exit was now a matter of days. 

Earlier in the afternoon, this correspondent tried to reach PML-N president Raja Farooq Haider and MC president Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan for their views but they were unable to take up calls.

Apparently, both parties were separately busy in “consultative meetings” but those were merely a perfunctory process and in fact everything had already been settled.

However, a statement by MC president to a private TV channel had left a bad taste in the mouth of PML-N stalwarts. 

Sardar Attique was reported to have said that the PML-N had earlier caused cracks in Muslim Conference and was now bent to do the same with the Peoples Party. 

A PML-N leader told this scribe that they would take up the controversial statement at an appropriate place and time. 

The AJK politics has always had great influence of the powers that be, given its so-called sensitive nature, and making and breaking of the governments here can hardly take place sans their consent or consultation.  

While Mr Mahmood is in the good books of the powers that be, Sardar Attique too carries the repute of respecting their 'suggestions' (read instructions) all along his political career. His party is regarded as "pro-Establishment," a term for loyalists of such powers. 

It is however yet to be seen if the PML-N has also fallen in line or not, contrary to the claims of its leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. 

According to AJK’s Interim Constitution, a resolution seeking no confidence against the prime minister has to be voted after three days but not later than seven days from the date of its submission in the Assembly. Following its passage by majority of the total membership of the Assembly (currently 48), the person named as the successor assumes the office of prime minister, brining an end to the term of his predecessor and his cabinet... Tariq Naqash