MUZAFFARABAD, Dec 2: The resolution for a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan seems to have been deferred by his opponents in the treasury benches for at least two weeks apparently due to the alleged delay on the part of People’s Party (PPAJK) in making its position clear, it has been learnt.
Absence from the country of two anti-prime minister voters – Public Accounts Committee Chairman Mohammad Siddique Batli and opposition People’s Muslim League (PML) lawmaker Chaudhry Mohammad Rasheed – was also stated to be a reason to put back the tabling of a no-trust motion till their return on December 16, sources said. The two had left for Saudi Arabia as part of an official Haj delegation.
However, the ‘forward bloc’ members were trying to link the deferment of no-trust move with the regional situation instead of the required strength, which appeared to be shaky due to what is being termed indecisiveness of the PPAJK.
“To us, sovereignty and security of Pakistan is much more important than power politics … We can wait till the current wave of tension between Islamabad and New Delhi defuses to the satisfaction of the region’s population,” maintained LA Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir, a key figure in the ‘forward bloc.’
He did not agree that the deferment implied weakness in their ranks.
“When the time comes, everybody will see for himself whether we possess required majority or not,” Mr Qadir said confidently.
However, in the same breathe he added that the ‘forward bloc’ wanted a national government in AJK by taking all parliamentary parties on board.
Sources privy to the developments regarding the AJK politics told Dawn that the success of the plans of ‘forward bloc’ largely depended on the response of the PPAJK which had seven lawmakers in the AJK assembly.
The PML, headed by former prime minister Barrister Sultan Mahmood, has already offered its unconditional support to the ‘forward bloc’ to oust the present setup.
Although the PPAJK leaders had been lashing out at the incumbent prime minister, a day in and a day out, they were however yet to get the nod from their high command, precisely the party’s co-chairperson President Asif Ali Zardari, to join the ‘forward bloc’ in order to oust the present setup as early as possible.
Col (retired) Raja Mohammad Nasim, a hard-liner in the ‘forward bloc’, also admitted that the tabling of no-confidence would take some time due to “some certain factors including the support by PPAJK.”
“It will take time … there is PPAJK factor. If they are going to be our coalition partners, obviously we have to wait for them,” he said.
When contacted by Dawn, PPAJK President Chaudhry Abdul Majeed confirmed that they were yet to obtain a go-ahead signal from their top leadership in Pakistan. “We have to seek the nod from our top leaders and we have conveyed our submissions to them in this regard,” he said.
Asked if his party would put some conditions before the ‘forward bloc’ for its support, he replied in the affirmative but stopped short of divulging its details. “Our stand will become known after Eidul Azha,” he said.