July 23, 2006	Sunday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 26, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

MUZAFFARABAD, July 22: Muslim Conference president Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and former People’s Party Azad Kashmir chief Sahibzada Mohammad Ishaq Zaffar will face each other in the election for the AJK prime minister on Monday.

Both leaders submitted their nominations papers to the AJK Legislative Assembly’s secretary Sardar Azam Khan here on Saturday.

Secretary-general of Muslim Conference Shah Ghulam Qadir and PPAJK secretary-general Chaudhry Latif Akbar submitted nomination papers for the office of LA speaker and Sardar Farooq Tahir of MC and Sardar Ghulam Sadiq of PPAJK submitted papers for the office of deputy speaker.

Earlier, the Muslim Conference’s parliamentary party met at the PM house with Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan in the chair and endorsed the names of Mr Qadir and Mr Tahir for the two offices. The meeting was attended by all 31 of the party’s lawmakers.

The MC had earlier given indications that it would field former speaker Abdul Rasheed Abbasi for the speaker’s slot. Mr Abbasi was elected as MC candidate against the special seat for technocrats on Saturday. However, it was learnt that the powers that be preferred Mr Qadir for his eloquence and familiarity with Kashmir issue.

The election of speaker and deputy speaker will be held on Monday. Later on, the assembly will also elect leader of the house.