On Wednesday, seven AJK ministers – three from the PTI renegades and two each from coalition partners PPP and PML-N – had held a joint press conference to shrug off, rather scoff at, the widely prevailing ‘speculations’ about the likeliness of no trust against Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq.
Though the ministers had avoided naming anyone, their comments had however left no doubt that they were trying to counter the narrative of PML-N vice president and former AJK premier Raja Farooq Haider, who has not only been publicly wigging PM Haq for his “ill-conceived policies” but has also been stressing upon PML-N’s early exit from the coalition government “to make good of the damages to its reputation among the masses.”
However, while the PPP ministers expressed their views cautiously, the alleged “below the belt” assertions by senior minister Waqar Noor left a bad taste in the mouth of PML-N leaders and workers across the state.
Mr Noor represents PML-N in the coalition government. Previously, from 2016 to 2021, he had served as a cabinet member in the Mr Haider led PML-N government.
Taking strong exception to the press talk, Mr Farooq, the PML-N regional secretary general, asserted that the government and some other elements were desperately trying to cause dissension and discord in his party.
“They are out to raise someone from within our party to fulfil their nefarious agenda. But let me declare again that their machinations are doomed to failure,” he said, in a statement on Sunday.
Terming Mr Haider as a gifted and respectable political leader, Mr Farooq maintained that not only the PML-N workers but the majority of people across the state stood by the former premier’s standpoint on governance and exit from the coalition government.
“There are however a few people practising the politics of expediency,” he said, but stopped short of specifically pointing out anyone.
Referring to Mr Haider’s position on a no-trust motion against Mr Haq, Mr Farooq asserted that Mr Haider was genuinely concerned about the “escalation of negative sentiments and anti-Pakistan activities, closure of developmental activities as well as government’s hollow claims about austerity.”
“People across the liberated territory acknowledge and appreciate the political role of Raja Farooq Haider and hold him in high esteem. If the government takes any revengeful action against him or any other political figure, it will be strongly resisted. We will not leave the field open for anyone under any circumstances.”
The PML-N secretary general pointed out that right from the formation of the coalition government, the PML-N parliamentary party was cut off from the party policy.
He claimed that the regional PML-N leadership was under intense pressure from the workers that instead of sharing the burden of the failures of the coalition government for the sake of just four ministries, the PML-N should quit it without further ado.
However, a final decision in this regard would be taken by party’s supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and president Shehbaz Sharif who would soon be apprised of the prevailing situation, particularly the repercussions of a further stay in the coalitions, he said.
He termed the senior minister Noor’s remarks at the press conference as painful for every PML-N worker.
“Actually, after joining the Haq led government, the senior minister has pulled the plug on his relationship and contacts with the PML-N and its workers. Rather, he is equally involved in vindictive activities against the party workers,” he alleged.
Mr Farooq stressed upon the regional president to immediately summon a meeting of office bearers to hold an in-depth discussion on the situation and work out a decisive future course of action.
“Any further delay in this regard is bound to multiply doubts and suspicion,” he warned.
By Tariq Naqash
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