January 25, 2006	Wednesday	Zilhaj 24, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: Reacting to the suspension of his basic membership of Pakistan People’s Party, former AJK prime minister and leader of opposition in the AJK Legislative Assembly, Barrister Sultan Mahmood, on Tuesday demanded dismissal of the party’s secretary-general, Jehangir Badr, to save it from a big political crisis.

Speaking at a press conference here, Sultan Mehmood charged that Jehangir Badr and a few of his cronies wanted to divide the party before the forthcoming general election in a bid to once again bring Muslim Conference into power.

He said he will be proceeding to the United States on January 29 where he was scheduled to meet with the party chairperson, Benazir Bhutto. He said he will brief Ms Bhutto on the political situation with particular reference to the conspiracies being hatched to weaken the party in Azad Kashmir.

Barrister Sultan said he had always tried to keep the party intact to make sure its success in the coming polls and alleged that Jehangir Badr never missed a chance to harm the party’s interests.

He said the decision to remove him as party president was ill-timed and uncalled-for. Ninety-five per cent of the party activists were ignored in the unilateral process of party’s re- organisation, he further alleged.

He said wrong and dictatorial decisions were taken at all levels to weaken the party. “I kept mum because I cannot see Benazir Bhutto in problems. I cannot betray Benazir Bhutto and will remain loyal to her.”

He said a direct communication with Ms Bhutto was difficult, particularly when she was visiting different states of America. Jehangir Badr, he said, had tried to take undue advantage of his office and gave a wrong briefing to Ms. Bhutto that posed a threat to the party’s interests.

He said Jehangir Badr was not in touch with Ms. Bhutto and caused a harm to the party by fomenting grouping in it. He said during his days as the AJK prime minister, the government had completed its five-year term as a result of his successful strategy.