July 20, 2006	Thursday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 23, 1427

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MUZAFFARABAD, July 19: Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has appointed Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, an MLA-elect from Mirpur, as the president of her party’s AJK chapter in place of Sahibzada Mohammad Ishaq Zaffar with the consent of the latter, party sources said on Tuesday.

“The replacement has been made on my request because my health does not allow me to continue with the hectic job of party president,” Mr Zaffar said in response to a question by Dawn.

Sahibzada Zaffar fell seriously ill during his election campaign and was admitted to hospitals in Muzaffarabad and Islamabad for four days. The doctors had advised him bed rest, but he resumed the campaign after a week.

“Ms Bhutto asked me if I wanted to continue as the party president or take a new responsibility as leader of the opposition in the AJK assembly, and I opted for the latter position,” he said. Sahibzada Zaffar was appointed PPAJK president in September 2004 in place of Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry.

The PPAJK had clinched four seats in Neelum and Muzaffarabad districts and one each in Bagh, Poonch and Mirpur districts. Sahibzada Zaffar hails from Banni Hafiz village in district Muzaffarabad.

However, the decision has not been welcomed by many PPAJK workers and leaders in Muzaffarabad who say that he (Mr Zaffar) should have been allowed to carry on as party chief as well as leader of the opposition.

“Undoubtedly, he has delivered in the recent elections and his performance on the floor of the assembly, whether as a treasury or an opposition member, has been exemplary,” an activist remarked.