MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) chapter of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday served a show-cause notice on an active party leader on his social media post wherein he had indirectly supported the August 31 shutter and wheel-jam strike in Muzaffarabad division against huge taxes in electricity bills and other issues of public concern.

“We express our resolve to create a new history for peoples’ right in the resistance movement in capital Muzaffarabad on August 31 by trampelling all expediencies,” was what PPP’s deputy secretary information Shaukat Javed Mir had written on his Facebook page on Thursday night.

The PPP along with the PML-N is part of the Chaudhry Anwarul Haq-led government of PTI renegades in Azad Kashmir who introduce themselves as the ‘like-minded group’.

Of the 13 PPP legislators, one was elected as Legislative Assembly speaker soon after the inception of the coalition government while 10 others were made part of the 29-member cabinet. However, none of the ministers has been allotted any portfolio by PM Haq in a move that has particularly angered many of them.

The PPP leaders are particularly angry over it, but due to the pressure of their leadership they are avoiding going public on it.

Recently, Bazil Ali Naqvi, one of the PPP ministers, could not help but voice his frustration over the non-allotment of portfolios, maintaining that the commitment made to his party was not being honoured [by the prime minister].

However,he had to eat his words after the PPP leadership termed his assertions as his personal views and not that of the party.

The social media comment by Mr Mir,a staunch PPP loyalist who was the second runner-up from LA-33, Hattian Bala-II in 2021 general elections despite being allotted party ticket in thenick of time, drew a number of comments, with many appreciating him for his just stance.

However, it did not go well with his leadership, as he was warned against disciplinary action for his failure to submit a satisfactory reply.

“Yesterday, you wrote a post against the party policy on your Facebook page regarding the August 31 resistance movement from Muzaffarabad. You are holding a responsible party office and [were] also the party’s nominated ticket holder from one constituency,” wrote Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, PPP’s regional secretary general and minister without portfolio, to Mr Mir.

“You are well aware that there is a coalition government in Azad Kashmir and PPP is its part. By giving a statement about a resistance movement against the government you have committed a violation of party discipline. Therefore, you are directed to submit its reply within three days or else explain as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against you,” he concluded.

However, even after the notice, neither did Mr Mir remove his post nor offered any apology.

Instead, he wrote in another post: “Whatever may be my personal opinion, I have always given priority to the party policy. I know how to face good and bad situations in politics. Allah is my helper.”

On being contacted, Mr Mir told Dawn that he had also submitted his response to Mr Rathore wherein he had regretted that the show-cause notice was issued to media before being served on him, even though it was an internal party matter.

“I have told them that as an office-bearer I have always abided by the party policy and I will continue to do so in future,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2023