MUZAFFARABAD, July 15: The much-awaited expansion of the AJK cabinet is likely to take place within a week and there are strong indications that Muslim Conference President Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan will be inducted as senior minister.

Answering questions at a press conference here on Wednesday, the MC chief did not deny reports that he was joining the cabinet as senior minister. "We are considering and holding consultations," he said, giving clear indications that he was ready to accept the office.

Over the past three years, Mr Attique said, he had been persistently asked to become senior minister but he had always declined. The MC chief had earlier met Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat and both leaders were reported to have held detailed discussions on the issue of cabinet expansion.

At least 11 ruling party lawmakers, including four former ministers, have formed a group to protect their "legitimate rights" pledging to take joint decisions on their future political strategy.

The group has also constituted a four-member negotiating team to bargain on its behalf with the prime minister and others. The team members called on the prime minister on Monday evening and conveyed their viewpoint.

The dissidents frequently refer to an agreement which they say was brokered by Sardar Attique and guaranteed by the 'powers that be' to end the crisis in the ruling party triggered by the resignations of four ministers and a parliamentary secretary in February.

The agreement, according to them, says that the ministers and parliamentary secretary who had resigned would be taken back, expansion of cabinet would be done in consultation with the AJK president and MC president and either the post of speaker or senior minister would be given to the dissidents.

Talking to Dawn at a function on Tuesday evening, the premier had said that although he could change the senior minister, but replacing the speaker was beyond his authority.

Answering a question, he said the cabinet would be expanded soon. At the press conference, Sardar Attique told reporters that the problems (in the party and the government) would be amicably solved in a couple of days.