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| March 5, 2003 | Wednesday | Muharram 1, 1424 |
‘Cabinet posts depend on performance’: Portfolios to be shuffled: AJK PM
MUZAFFARABAD, March 4: Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan on Tuesday told the ministers that they could retain their place in the cabinet on the basis of performance and those who failed to deliver will have to go.
“I have made it clear to the ministers that now their stay in the cabinet depends on their performance.” he said, at a press conference at his office.
The recent expansion in the cabinet, said the PM, was a requirement and not an unnecessary move. However, the step had got delayed because “some other people did have their role in the selection of names,” he said in a candid reference to the army.
Responding to a question regarding the allotment of the portfolio of the ministry of education, he said: “Teachers are a strong community and the day I came to believe that any minister can handle and resist them, I will allot him the department.”
Replying to a question, he said that a woman would also be inducted into the cabinet, but currently there was a tie (between two women for the slot).
The PM revealed that he was also contemplating a reshuffling of the portfolios of the ministers.
Touching other issues, he said the federal government had committed to provide Rs300 million for the rehabilitation of the ares affected by Indian shelling along the Line of Control. The schemes for the purpose were ready, but the amount was yet to be received from Islamabad, he said.
He said he was also resisting the Rs400 million cut imposed by the federal government on the AJK’s budget.
Asked about the progress on the matters agreed at by the AJK and federal governments for initiation of the controversial Mangla Dam extension plan, he said the AJK government was concerned because some vital points, such as power tariff issue, hydel net profit and fishing rights, were not included in the minutes of a top-level meeting between both sides. “But, now all those issues have again been settled and hopefully the written agreement between the governments of Azad Kashmir and Pakistan will be signed in the ongoing month,” he said.
When a reporter reminded him that he had always been alleging huge corruption in Jagran hydel power project, but nothing had been done against the alleged accused, the PM said that he had sent the case to the Ehtesab Bureau and he did not know why there were no proceedings by the bureau, in that regard.
The premier also appreciated the residents along the LoC and said he was considering to launch some programme, on regular basis, for their rehabilitation.
He also expressed the hope that the issue of establishment of medical college in Azad Kashmir would be settled soon.
Commenting on the result of the by-election held on Monday in LA-28, Muzaffarabad VI, he said that the victory of the ruling party candidate was a manifestation of “people’s trust in the policies and performance of his government.”
Despite harsh weather and huge snowfall in more than half area of the constituency, the voter turnout was around 57 percent for which the electorate deserved appreciation, he said. He also appreciated the election machinery and the administration for holding the by-poll in a free and fair manner.
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