PESHAWAR, Oct 5: In a dramatic turn of events, some parties hitherto allied with the ruling Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) resigned from the NWFP assembly on Friday, leaving the JUI (F) alone to face the no-confidence resolution filed against Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani.
It all began when the 124-member house resumed its session on Friday. The Jamaat-i-Islami took the lead by submitting resignation of its 24 lawmakers, followed by four members of the PML (N). Eight lawmakers of the ANP stood one by one to read out a brief statement before submitting their resignation.
After the resignation of 36 MPAs, the chief minister has the support of 42 lawmakers and the opposition of 31 members. If nine PPP members join hands with the opposition, Mr Durrani may face an unpredictable outcome of the no-trust vote.
Mr Durrani is now left with two options: either to send his resignation to the governor or to persuade opposition members to withdraw the resolution against him. “If they withdraw the resolution, the cat will be out of the bag,” said Abdul Akbar Khan of the People’s Party Parliamentarians.
Provincial Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Malik Zafar Azam said: “Neither will we come on Saturday nor will we resign from the assembly. We will not leave the ground open for the pro-Musharraf opposition.”
Talking to journalists on the assembly premises, the minister rejected suggestions that Mr Durrani had lost the confidence of the majority in the house. The onus was on the opposition to prove that he had lost the confidence of the house, he said.
In the morning, 23 MPAs of the JI and four of the PML (N) went to the chamber of Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan and handed over their resignation. They were unhappy over what they called dilly-dallying on the dissolution of the assembly. Pir Mohammad Khan of the JI, a close relative of federal minister Amir Muqam, who arrived late in the house, was not allowed by the speaker to speak on a point of order. Later, Pir Mohammad submitted his resignation to the speaker in the latter’s office. JI provincial chief Sirajul Haq had sent his resignation to the speaker when he was in the Adiala jail.
Besides Mr Haq and Pir Mohammad, the JI lawmakers who resigned are Kashif Azam, Hashmat Khan, Javed Khan Mohmand, Nadir Shah, Fazle Rabbani, Habibur Rehman, Mohammad Amin, Hussain Ahmed Kanju, Amir Zada Khan, Pir Mohammad Khan, Inyatullah Khan, Mohammad Fareed Khan, Hayat Khan, Muzaffar Said, Saeed Gul, Dr Zakirullah, Shahraz Khan, Zobaida Khatoon, Fauzia Farrukh, Nargas Zain, Aftab Shabbir, Shagufta Naz and Sabira Shakir.
After PML (N) MPAs Anwar Kamal Khan, Sardar Mumtaz, Zafarullah Khan and Imtiaz Sultan Bukhari submitted their resignation, party’s parliamentary leader Anwar Kamal said: “We have resigned. It was APDM’s decision. We don’t know why the JUI (F) has opted for delaying tactics.”
After submitting resignation, the JI and PML (N) lawmakers came to the speaker’s gallery and witnessed the proceedings.
JUI (F) lawmakers vainly tried to overcome their embarrassment by chanting anti-Musharraf slogans.
Awami National Party MPAs exploited the development by making short speeches. Then, one by one, they handed over their resignation to the speaker.
ANP parliamentary leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour hit hard at army generals, bureaucrats, politicians and judges. He said judges from Punjab had always supported the doctrine of necessity and military dictatorships.
He thanked the JI and PML (N) lawmakers for resigning from the assembly, saying it would give a message to the world that genuine political forces were opposed to Gen Musharraf’s election with or without uniform.
ANP MPAs Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Mukhtiar Ahmed, Amir Rehman, Shaukat Habib, Sarfaraz Khan, Yasmin Pir Mohammad Khan, Farah Aqil Shah and Khalil Abbas handed over their resignations to the speaker.
After reading out the names of the 36 MPAs who had resigned, the speaker adjourned the session till Monday.
Meanwhile, opposition groups in the provincial assembly have said they will not withdraw the no-confidence resolution.
PML (Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had advised party MPAs in the provincial assembly to withdraw the resolution, MPA Night Orakzai told Dawn on Friday.
“Differences exist in the provincial chapter of the PML (Q) over the postponement of the no-confidence motion,” said a party source. He said most party members were against deferring the resolution. “All allied parties will be taken into confidence on any decision.”
At a news conference here, ANP’s MPA Mr Shahabuddin, who was expelled from the party for betraying a party decision to resign from the assembly, announced joining the PML (Q). Provincial PML (Q) chief Amir Muqam was present.
Mr Shahabuddin said that after the resignation of the JI, ANP and PML-N lawmakers, Mr Durrani had lost the majority’s support in the house.
He said he had been elected as an independent candidate and had joined the ANP to serve the Pakhtuns, but it (the ANP) had abandoned the principle of non-violence and joined hands with a ‘violent party’.
PESHAWAR, Oct 5: In a dramatic turn of events, some parties hitherto allied with the ruling Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) resigned from the NWFP assembly on Friday, leaving the JUI (F) alone to face the no-confidence resolution filed against Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani.
