By Tariq Naqash
Already reeling from the loss of many leaders and workers after the launch of PML-N in AJK, the ruling Muslim Conference suffered another blow on Saturday when its senior vice president announced to have formed a ‘forward group’ in the party.
Speaking at a press conference along with several MC leaders in the lakeside city of Mirpur, Capt (retired) Sarfraz Khan said he had been compelled to take this step after the “sale” of party tickets for the two AJK Council seats by the party leadership.
Mr Khan, also a former MLA from Chaksawari, had applied for the MC ticket for the AJK Council election but instead the party granted its mandate to Saghir Chughtai and Muhammad Khan.
The MC is in a position to clinch two out of four vacant seats of AJK Council in elections scheduled for February 22.
Mr Khan claimed that his name was final for the party ticket but it was dropped after the party leadership “received millions of rupees in illegal gratification from the affluent duo.”
“The ideology of the Muslim Conference has literally been buried. Party president Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan is equally blameworthy. But we will not remain silent on this worst ever corruption,” he said.
He said he and his colleagues would tour AJK and work out their future course of action in consultation with party workers and friends.
“We will not quit Muslim Conference but fight these corrupt people. But in the meanwhile, we will not attend any official or party function,” he declared.
He called upon the AJK Supreme Court chief justice to take stock of alleged sale of AJK Council seats and bring the culprits to book.
This correspondent contacted at least three senior MC office bearers for their comments on Mr Khan’s allegations but all of them politely declined to speak about the issue.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
AJK elections can be held between May 23 and July 8, says election commission
By Tariq Naqash
MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 10: The general election to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly can be held anytime between May 23 and July 8 and the AJK Election Commission says it will be all set to announce the schedule for the polls after April 15.
According to section 22 (4) of the AJK’s Interim Constitution Act 1974, “general election to the Assembly shall be held within a period of sixty days immediately preceding the day on which the term of the Assembly is due to expire, unless the Assembly has been sooner dissolved, and the result of the election shall be declared not later than fourteen days before that day.”
Since the sitting assembly was installed on July 23, 2006, general election can be conducted at any day between May 23 and July 8, 2011 and the only way to hold the exercise prior to May 23 is premature dissolution of the assembly by the prime minister. In the event of assembly dissolution, general election shall be held within a period of ninety days after the dissolution and the result of the election shall be declared not later than fourteen days after the conclusion of polls.”
However, there was no provision to drag the holding of polls beyond July 8 because election result had to be declared not later than 14 days before the completion of sitting assembly’s 5 year term on July 22.
“We are finalizing arrangements for the polls and as the new voter lists will be ready by the end of March I can safely say that at anytime after April 15 we will be all set to announce the schedule,” Chief Election Commissioner Khawaja Muhammad Saeed told this correspondent.
He said it was EC’s prerogative to announce the date of polls between May 23 and July 8, but, nevertheless, he would make a decision in this regard in consultation with all political parties.
The ruling Muslim Conference had been maintaining ambiguity over its plans and desire for the election date but the two major opposition parties were unequivocally in favour of last week of May for holding of polls.
“The last week of May is an ideal time for election because the temperature during that period is neither too hot nor too cold,” said Raja Farooq Haider, chief organizer of PML-N in AJK.
“We support this date also because it should be the right of the next government to prepare next fiscal year’s budget according to its manifesto. And that can happen only if the general election is held on May 25,” he said.
Leader of the opposition in AJK Assembly and Peoples Party AJK president Chaudhry Abdul Majeed echoed Mr Haider’s views, saying his party also wanted the polls to be held on May 25.
“We will formally ask the Election Commission to consider this date.”
When this correspondent asked Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan as to when the election should be held, he did not give a clear reply.
“Either it can be held in the last week of May or the last week of June,” he said.
When told that the opposition termed the last week of May climatically ideal for polls, he tersely responded: “Ideal weather is either in April or in September.”
However, Mr Haider made it clear that election date could not be taken beyond July 8 and accused the prime minister of creating confusion and ambiguity to “gain political mileage.”
It may be mentioned here that around 2.8 million voters have been registered to elect their representatives in 41 assembly constituencies, 29 of which are located in AJK territory and the rest in the four provinces of Pakistan.
Ends
MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 10: The general election to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly can be held anytime between May 23 and July 8 and the AJK Election Commission says it will be all set to announce the schedule for the polls after April 15.
According to section 22 (4) of the AJK’s Interim Constitution Act 1974, “general election to the Assembly shall be held within a period of sixty days immediately preceding the day on which the term of the Assembly is due to expire, unless the Assembly has been sooner dissolved, and the result of the election shall be declared not later than fourteen days before that day.”
Since the sitting assembly was installed on July 23, 2006, general election can be conducted at any day between May 23 and July 8, 2011 and the only way to hold the exercise prior to May 23 is premature dissolution of the assembly by the prime minister. In the event of assembly dissolution, general election shall be held within a period of ninety days after the dissolution and the result of the election shall be declared not later than fourteen days after the conclusion of polls.”
However, there was no provision to drag the holding of polls beyond July 8 because election result had to be declared not later than 14 days before the completion of sitting assembly’s 5 year term on July 22.
“We are finalizing arrangements for the polls and as the new voter lists will be ready by the end of March I can safely say that at anytime after April 15 we will be all set to announce the schedule,” Chief Election Commissioner Khawaja Muhammad Saeed told this correspondent.
He said it was EC’s prerogative to announce the date of polls between May 23 and July 8, but, nevertheless, he would make a decision in this regard in consultation with all political parties.
The ruling Muslim Conference had been maintaining ambiguity over its plans and desire for the election date but the two major opposition parties were unequivocally in favour of last week of May for holding of polls.
“The last week of May is an ideal time for election because the temperature during that period is neither too hot nor too cold,” said Raja Farooq Haider, chief organizer of PML-N in AJK.
“We support this date also because it should be the right of the next government to prepare next fiscal year’s budget according to its manifesto. And that can happen only if the general election is held on May 25,” he said.
Leader of the opposition in AJK Assembly and Peoples Party AJK president Chaudhry Abdul Majeed echoed Mr Haider’s views, saying his party also wanted the polls to be held on May 25.
“We will formally ask the Election Commission to consider this date.”
When this correspondent asked Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan as to when the election should be held, he did not give a clear reply.
“Either it can be held in the last week of May or the last week of June,” he said.
When told that the opposition termed the last week of May climatically ideal for polls, he tersely responded: “Ideal weather is either in April or in September.”
However, Mr Haider made it clear that election date could not be taken beyond July 8 and accused the prime minister of creating confusion and ambiguity to “gain political mileage.”
It may be mentioned here that around 2.8 million voters have been registered to elect their representatives in 41 assembly constituencies, 29 of which are located in AJK territory and the rest in the four provinces of Pakistan.
Ends
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Ex AJK presidents to be given additional perks
Overlooking the serious financial crunch that has hit the entire country, the AJK finance department has given concurrence to the provision of an official vehicle, house rent and a certain amount of fuel to the region’s former presidents on the pattern of former prime ministers.
In line with the approval, the law department has been tasked to propose requisite amendments to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir ex-Presidents (Salary, Allowances, Privileges) Act, 1975 to pave way for provision of these facilities to the prospective beneficiaries.
The former AJK presidents, it may be recalled, are entitled to Rs 30,000 as monthly pension , Rs 5000 for monthly telephone expenses and services of a driver-cum gunman from the AJK police and a stenographer and orderly from the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).
For long, the AJK presidents also used to avail themselves of a privilege of importing one duty free car during their term like that of the provincial governors but that privilege was withdrawn by the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif under his reforms shortly after the nuke tests in 1998.
However, in September 2004, the then AJK Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat shrewdly inserted two amendments in the AJK Ministers (Salaries, Allowances, Privileges) Act 1975 whereby, for the first time, the former prime ministers in AJK were also entitled to some benefits from the taxpayers money, regardless of the length of their tenure. These benefits included one official car, official accommodation or Rs 25000 per month as rent, 400 litres of petrol (or its cost) per month and a driver-cum-gunman.
Instantly, former premiers Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan (1991 -1996) and Barrister Sultan Mahmood (1996-2001) became the beneficiaries of this amendment. Mr Hayat was provided these privileges after his second term in the coveted office expired in July 2006.
Mr Qayyum and Mr Hayat also claim pensions of a former president.
However, the ‘benevolent law’ about the former premiers did not go well with the then AJK President Maj-Gen (retired) Sardar Anwar Khan who felt he had been left out in the cold.
Perhaps, it was why he withheld a 2005 model Toyota Corolla Saloon car of president’s secretariat, in sheer violation of law, at the end of his 5-year term in August 2006.
All these years, sources said, Mr Anwar Khan had been desperately arguing before the concerned quarters that if a former prime minister could be provided an official car why a former president couldn’t enjoy the same privilege.
As the sitting Legislative Assembly has seen three prime ministers – Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, Sardar Yaqoob Khan and Raja Farooq Haider - in four elections, the S&GAD has provided same privileges to them as well.
In all, sources said, five former primers were currently enjoying the facility of an official vehicle, a driver cum gunman, Rs 25000 and 400 litres of petrol (or cost) per month. The incumbent premier was likely to rejoin this elite group whenever he vacates this office.
Last year, sources said, the incumbent President Raja Zulqarnain Khan had twice written to the law department to initiate requisite legislation for provision of same facilities to a former head of the state as well, apart from pension etc.
“We were under a constant pressure to give financial concurrence to provision of these facilities,” said a finance department official.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, however added that his department had put a condition that these privileges would be provided in only one capacity if even someone had held both the offices.
When asked if any action would be taken against Sardar Anwar Khan for unauthorized retention of an official vehicle for five years, he said it was something to be dealt by the Ehtesab Bureau.
Ends
In line with the approval, the law department has been tasked to propose requisite amendments to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir ex-Presidents (Salary, Allowances, Privileges) Act, 1975 to pave way for provision of these facilities to the prospective beneficiaries.
The former AJK presidents, it may be recalled, are entitled to Rs 30,000 as monthly pension , Rs 5000 for monthly telephone expenses and services of a driver-cum gunman from the AJK police and a stenographer and orderly from the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).
For long, the AJK presidents also used to avail themselves of a privilege of importing one duty free car during their term like that of the provincial governors but that privilege was withdrawn by the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif under his reforms shortly after the nuke tests in 1998.
However, in September 2004, the then AJK Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat shrewdly inserted two amendments in the AJK Ministers (Salaries, Allowances, Privileges) Act 1975 whereby, for the first time, the former prime ministers in AJK were also entitled to some benefits from the taxpayers money, regardless of the length of their tenure. These benefits included one official car, official accommodation or Rs 25000 per month as rent, 400 litres of petrol (or its cost) per month and a driver-cum-gunman.
Instantly, former premiers Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan (1991 -1996) and Barrister Sultan Mahmood (1996-2001) became the beneficiaries of this amendment. Mr Hayat was provided these privileges after his second term in the coveted office expired in July 2006.
Mr Qayyum and Mr Hayat also claim pensions of a former president.
However, the ‘benevolent law’ about the former premiers did not go well with the then AJK President Maj-Gen (retired) Sardar Anwar Khan who felt he had been left out in the cold.
Perhaps, it was why he withheld a 2005 model Toyota Corolla Saloon car of president’s secretariat, in sheer violation of law, at the end of his 5-year term in August 2006.
All these years, sources said, Mr Anwar Khan had been desperately arguing before the concerned quarters that if a former prime minister could be provided an official car why a former president couldn’t enjoy the same privilege.
As the sitting Legislative Assembly has seen three prime ministers – Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, Sardar Yaqoob Khan and Raja Farooq Haider - in four elections, the S&GAD has provided same privileges to them as well.
In all, sources said, five former primers were currently enjoying the facility of an official vehicle, a driver cum gunman, Rs 25000 and 400 litres of petrol (or cost) per month. The incumbent premier was likely to rejoin this elite group whenever he vacates this office.
Last year, sources said, the incumbent President Raja Zulqarnain Khan had twice written to the law department to initiate requisite legislation for provision of same facilities to a former head of the state as well, apart from pension etc.
“We were under a constant pressure to give financial concurrence to provision of these facilities,” said a finance department official.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, however added that his department had put a condition that these privileges would be provided in only one capacity if even someone had held both the offices.
When asked if any action would be taken against Sardar Anwar Khan for unauthorized retention of an official vehicle for five years, he said it was something to be dealt by the Ehtesab Bureau.
Ends
AJK Law Minister trampling rules for induction of son
MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 22: An influential member of the AJK cabinet is consistently using his clout to get his son appointed as a gazetted officer in sheer disregard to relevant rules and reservations by the concerned officials.
Documents made available to this correspondent and background interviews revealed that Sardar Sayab Khalid, minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs, had been twisting he arms of electricity secretariat officials since long for the appointment of his son, Shehzad Khalid, as assistant engineer in BPS-17.
Succumbing to the pressure, the secretariat issued a ‘notification’ on December 11, appointing his son as sub-divisional officer (SDO) in Rawalakot.
However, neither did the notification mention basis of the appointment (ad-hoc or contractual) nor did it say anything about the fate of the incumbent SDO, Muhammad Imtiaz.
The ‘notification’ after being challenged by Mr Imtiaz was suspended by the Service Tribunal on December 20. However, before the tribunal could pass a final judgment, the law minister, in the meanwhile, managed issuance of a fresh notification from the electricity secretariat on January 15, whereby Mr Shehzad was ‘appointed’ as SDO Thorar in place of one Fazle Rabbi, who was transferred to Bagh.
Electricity department’s chief engineer (CE) Mushtaq Gaursi admitted before this correspondent that the appointment orders were flawed but said his office had never moved any such proposals.
According to witnesses and sources, the law minister had been personally visiting the chambers of the officials concerned and pressing them to issue the notifications about his son’s induction as per his will.
Credentials of Mr Shehzad revealed that he had studied BE (electrical) in University College of Engineering and Technology (UCET) Mirpur after securing less than 46 per cent marks in the FSc in 1995.
His session in the UCET ended in 1999 but he earned his degree in 2004 after appearing in supplementary exams between 2003 and 2004 and that too after being granted ‘special chances’ by the varsity.
In June 2002, when his qualification was simply FSc, he was appointed on temporary basis as sub-engineer (BPS-11) in the electricity department for six months. He had falsely claimed that he had appeared in the final exam of BE (Electrical) and was waiting for his result. As he could not provide his degree after six months, the temporary appointment as sub engineer was never renewed but he continued the job, exercising the powers of SDO, until the AJK Ehtesab Bureau took stock of it in May 2004. Mr Shehzad had also obtained a pre-arrest bail from the AJK High Court on May 26, 2004, to preempt any action by the bureau.
His father happened to be the Legislative Assembly speaker in those days.
Interestingly, the formal endorsement of that temporary service without formal orders was sought by Mr Shehzad in May 2010 after almost six years.
In May 2005, Mr Shehzad was appointed as ad-hoc assistant engineer (BPS-17) in the electricity department against the quota of Kashmiri refugees but when his service was terminated in June 2006 by CE he got interim relief from the apex court.
In June 2007, he was appointed on contractual basis in a foreign funded project where he continued till August last year. At the close of project he submitted a ‘joining report’ in the CE’s office which was rejected on the grounds that he was never a permanent employee of the department.
However, notwithstanding the CE’s stance, the law minister kept on pressuring that his son be regularized and promoted as ‘assistant engineer’ on the basis of his service as sub-engineer for “three years.”
Sources pointed out that Mr Shehzad had mentioned fake dates in his applications about his previous jobs, either on temporary or on ad-hoc basis, in a bid to prove there was no gap in his service.
The law minister had also got issued a favourable “legal opinion” for his son from the law secretariat. A source in the law secretariat confided to this correspondent that the opinion was formed “on the basis of the available record” and that they could hardly go against the interests of their minister.
Sources also disclosed that Mr Khalid had also threatened former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider against resignation from the cabinet if his son was not inducted. However, his efforts remained unsuccessful mainly due to strong resistance by the then secretary electricity Akram Sohail.
When quizzed about the case, the electricity minister Mirza Shafique Jaral tried to bail himself out by saying he had always passed directions that the case should be processed according to the rules.
When the law minister was asked as to how his son could be inducted as SDO without fulfillment of criteria, he claimed that the case had been properly processed.
However, as more questions were put to him in the light of the documents available with Dawn, the minister lost his cool.
“Don’t write anything on my behalf. You can write whatever you want,” he said and hung up the phone.
It may be recalled that Mr Khalid has often been accused of favourtism while holding official positions. In September 2004, he had also got his son, nephew and brother-in-law appointed in the Legislative Assembly secretariat as gazetted officers through a departmental selection committee which he headed as speaker.
ends
Documents made available to this correspondent and background interviews revealed that Sardar Sayab Khalid, minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs, had been twisting he arms of electricity secretariat officials since long for the appointment of his son, Shehzad Khalid, as assistant engineer in BPS-17.
Succumbing to the pressure, the secretariat issued a ‘notification’ on December 11, appointing his son as sub-divisional officer (SDO) in Rawalakot.
However, neither did the notification mention basis of the appointment (ad-hoc or contractual) nor did it say anything about the fate of the incumbent SDO, Muhammad Imtiaz.
The ‘notification’ after being challenged by Mr Imtiaz was suspended by the Service Tribunal on December 20. However, before the tribunal could pass a final judgment, the law minister, in the meanwhile, managed issuance of a fresh notification from the electricity secretariat on January 15, whereby Mr Shehzad was ‘appointed’ as SDO Thorar in place of one Fazle Rabbi, who was transferred to Bagh.
Electricity department’s chief engineer (CE) Mushtaq Gaursi admitted before this correspondent that the appointment orders were flawed but said his office had never moved any such proposals.
According to witnesses and sources, the law minister had been personally visiting the chambers of the officials concerned and pressing them to issue the notifications about his son’s induction as per his will.
Credentials of Mr Shehzad revealed that he had studied BE (electrical) in University College of Engineering and Technology (UCET) Mirpur after securing less than 46 per cent marks in the FSc in 1995.
His session in the UCET ended in 1999 but he earned his degree in 2004 after appearing in supplementary exams between 2003 and 2004 and that too after being granted ‘special chances’ by the varsity.
In June 2002, when his qualification was simply FSc, he was appointed on temporary basis as sub-engineer (BPS-11) in the electricity department for six months. He had falsely claimed that he had appeared in the final exam of BE (Electrical) and was waiting for his result. As he could not provide his degree after six months, the temporary appointment as sub engineer was never renewed but he continued the job, exercising the powers of SDO, until the AJK Ehtesab Bureau took stock of it in May 2004. Mr Shehzad had also obtained a pre-arrest bail from the AJK High Court on May 26, 2004, to preempt any action by the bureau.
His father happened to be the Legislative Assembly speaker in those days.
Interestingly, the formal endorsement of that temporary service without formal orders was sought by Mr Shehzad in May 2010 after almost six years.
In May 2005, Mr Shehzad was appointed as ad-hoc assistant engineer (BPS-17) in the electricity department against the quota of Kashmiri refugees but when his service was terminated in June 2006 by CE he got interim relief from the apex court.
In June 2007, he was appointed on contractual basis in a foreign funded project where he continued till August last year. At the close of project he submitted a ‘joining report’ in the CE’s office which was rejected on the grounds that he was never a permanent employee of the department.
However, notwithstanding the CE’s stance, the law minister kept on pressuring that his son be regularized and promoted as ‘assistant engineer’ on the basis of his service as sub-engineer for “three years.”
Sources pointed out that Mr Shehzad had mentioned fake dates in his applications about his previous jobs, either on temporary or on ad-hoc basis, in a bid to prove there was no gap in his service.
The law minister had also got issued a favourable “legal opinion” for his son from the law secretariat. A source in the law secretariat confided to this correspondent that the opinion was formed “on the basis of the available record” and that they could hardly go against the interests of their minister.
Sources also disclosed that Mr Khalid had also threatened former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider against resignation from the cabinet if his son was not inducted. However, his efforts remained unsuccessful mainly due to strong resistance by the then secretary electricity Akram Sohail.
When quizzed about the case, the electricity minister Mirza Shafique Jaral tried to bail himself out by saying he had always passed directions that the case should be processed according to the rules.
When the law minister was asked as to how his son could be inducted as SDO without fulfillment of criteria, he claimed that the case had been properly processed.
However, as more questions were put to him in the light of the documents available with Dawn, the minister lost his cool.
“Don’t write anything on my behalf. You can write whatever you want,” he said and hung up the phone.
It may be recalled that Mr Khalid has often been accused of favourtism while holding official positions. In September 2004, he had also got his son, nephew and brother-in-law appointed in the Legislative Assembly secretariat as gazetted officers through a departmental selection committee which he headed as speaker.
ends
Friday, June 25, 2010
AJK capital stinks as civic workers go on strike
I wonder why the district administration and government are taking this issue lightly.....Qabza groups appeear to have been more powerful than the official agencies. But obviously they cannot breach law unless some people from the official machinery are backing them up.
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By Tariq Naqash
MUZAFFARABAD, June 25: Officials and employees of Municipal Corporation Muzaffarabad (MCM) observed strike on the second consecutive day here on Friday to protest and condemn the alleged attack at their garbage laden vehicles and misbehaviour by an administration official with their chief officer.
The striking employees staged a demonstration outside their under-construction office in Upper Adda during which they kept on chanting vociferous slogans against the administration for “failing to provide them protection.”
Garbage had piled up in almost all neighbourhoods due to the strike and residents feared that the city would be stinking by the next working day (on Monday).
According to Shaikh Tahir Wasim, president Local Council Employees’ Association, two garbage laden vehicles were fired upon and pelted with stones by a group of miscreants near the civic body’s landfill site in Zaminabad village along Muzaffarabad-Kohala Road on Wednesday afternoon.
Not only the vehicles got damaged by firing and stone pelting but a driver, Basharat Gillani, also received injuries, creating deep sense of insecurity among the entire staff, he added.
Mr Wasim recalled that it was second such incident at the same place since June 10 at the hands of unscrupulous people who wanted to grab the 35 kanals of land, purchased and developed by the MCM for garbage dumping.
A fresh FIR was lodged against 10 accused persons but the police were yet to arrest the main culprits, he said.
On Thursday some notables from Zaminabad area approached the district administration following which negotiations between them and corporation officials were held in the office of deputy commissioner Muzaffarabad to find a solution to the problem.
According to Mr Wasim, the Zaminabad residents agreed at the meeting to get the damaged vehicles repaired besides ensuring that such incidents did not recur in future.
However, when corporation’s chief officer Abdul Hameed Shaheen said he could not call off the strike without taking the employees’ association into confidence he was roughly treated by assistant commissioner Abdul Hamid Kiany, which added fuel to the flames of striking employees’ rage and resentment.
The striking employees also met their concerned minister, Raja Naseer Ahmed, and asked him to redress the balance.
Mr Wasim said though the minister had directed the divisional commissioner to submit him a report, the employees could hardly resume work amid threats to their lives.
“Unless the government takes concrete steps to provide security to garbage dumping workers and also transfers the uncouth assistant commissioner we will not end our strike,” he declared.
Ends
civil society warns against long march to protest delay in reconstruction
Reconstruction of Muzaffarabad has been a very sensitive issue for the residents of Muzaffarabad ever since the same had been pledged to them by the authorities concerned. But while the luxuries of these authorities go on unabated, the real task seems nowhere in their priorities. We all are mourning the indifference.
-------------------------
By Tariq Naqash
MUZAFFARABAD, June 24: Hundreds of people from different walks of life staged a demonstration here on Thursday to raise voice against the “unjustified delay” in reconstruction of the earthquake affected urban areas, mainly the AJK capital.
They also warned against staging a long march on to the Parliament building as well the headquarters of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) in Islamabad if their 50-point ‘charter of demands’ was not implemented within one month.
The demonstration was held on the call of a civil society forum - Tehreek-e-Tameer-e-Nau of Movement for Reconstruction (TTN) – along the bustling thoroughfare in Chattar which houses almost all important official buildings, including that of Legislative Assembly which was in session at that time.
Led by Zahid Amin and Shaukat Javed Mir, convenor and secretary general, respectively, of TTN, the demonstrators were holding placards inscribed with their demands as well as disapproval of alleged delay in reconstruction. They were also chanting similar slogans.
Legislators from the constituents of combined opposition, Chaudhry Latif Akbar of PPAJK, Chaudhry Mohammad Rasheed of Peoples Muslim League, Abdul Majid Khan of Friends Group and Mohammad Salim Butt of MQM, also visited the venue demonstration and expressed support and solidarity with them.
They assured them that they would raise the issues of citizens in the house and play their role for their settlement.
The opposition lawmakers accused the present government of having failed to deliver on all counts, including the reconstruction.
Other speakers said that almost five years had elapsed since the devastating October 2005 earthquake but reconstruction related projects had not been initiated in the affected areas, including the state capital.
Tens of hundreds of people, they pointed out, were still living in temporary accommodations as neither the much hyped satellite towns had been developed nor the landless families had been provided with alternate land.
They alleged that the funds meant for reconstruction were being diverted by the concerned authorities somewhere else and whatever was left was being spent on non-productive activities and luxuries.
On its part the AJK government was also brazenly ignoring the reports of international experts regarding strict implementation of building codes and construction in the hazardous areas, notwithstanding the threats it was posing to lives of people.
They said that the earthquake survivors had been constantly offering sacrifices and they would not compromise on the issue of reconstruction.
Ends
-------------------------
By Tariq Naqash
MUZAFFARABAD, June 24: Hundreds of people from different walks of life staged a demonstration here on Thursday to raise voice against the “unjustified delay” in reconstruction of the earthquake affected urban areas, mainly the AJK capital.
They also warned against staging a long march on to the Parliament building as well the headquarters of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) in Islamabad if their 50-point ‘charter of demands’ was not implemented within one month.
The demonstration was held on the call of a civil society forum - Tehreek-e-Tameer-e-Nau of Movement for Reconstruction (TTN) – along the bustling thoroughfare in Chattar which houses almost all important official buildings, including that of Legislative Assembly which was in session at that time.
Led by Zahid Amin and Shaukat Javed Mir, convenor and secretary general, respectively, of TTN, the demonstrators were holding placards inscribed with their demands as well as disapproval of alleged delay in reconstruction. They were also chanting similar slogans.
Legislators from the constituents of combined opposition, Chaudhry Latif Akbar of PPAJK, Chaudhry Mohammad Rasheed of Peoples Muslim League, Abdul Majid Khan of Friends Group and Mohammad Salim Butt of MQM, also visited the venue demonstration and expressed support and solidarity with them.
They assured them that they would raise the issues of citizens in the house and play their role for their settlement.
The opposition lawmakers accused the present government of having failed to deliver on all counts, including the reconstruction.
Other speakers said that almost five years had elapsed since the devastating October 2005 earthquake but reconstruction related projects had not been initiated in the affected areas, including the state capital.
Tens of hundreds of people, they pointed out, were still living in temporary accommodations as neither the much hyped satellite towns had been developed nor the landless families had been provided with alternate land.
They alleged that the funds meant for reconstruction were being diverted by the concerned authorities somewhere else and whatever was left was being spent on non-productive activities and luxuries.
On its part the AJK government was also brazenly ignoring the reports of international experts regarding strict implementation of building codes and construction in the hazardous areas, notwithstanding the threats it was posing to lives of people.
They said that the earthquake survivors had been constantly offering sacrifices and they would not compromise on the issue of reconstruction.
Ends
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
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
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