MUZAFFARABAD, July 6: The expansion of the AJK cabinet has become contentious for Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat after some powerful lawmakers belonging to the ruling Muslim Conference formed a separate group pledging to decide their strategies in consultation with each other.
The 'solemn promise' was inked after a group comprising 11 legislators, including the incumbent deputy speaker, four former ministers and a former parliamentary secretary, recently held a meeting, Dawn learnt reliably here on Tuesday.
"We promise under oath that we will decide our parliamentary affairs with mutual consultation and protect each others' integrity and legitimate interests," read the oath's text that also proclaimed that its signatories would abide by the party's ideology and discipline.
The latest development is reported have dealt a blow to Muslim Conference president Sardar Atique Ahmed Khan's political manoeuvring who, the sources said, had been cornered by the new group.
The group, the sources said, believed that Sardar Atique had failed to address their concerns regarding the prime minister and had, instead, secured his personal interests.
Sardar Attique was named by the dissident lawmakers as their candidate for the prime minister's post in the wake of the crisis that hit the ruling party in February. In the present changed scenario, he seemed to have lost that support for the coveted slot, the sources said.
"The dissenting lawmakers believe that Sardar Attique has struck some kind of deal with Sardar Sikandar following which he is no more interested in the prime minister's ouster," a source in the Muslim Conference told Dawn.
The alleged change of approach on the part of Sardar Attique led the 11 lawmakers to come up with the decision to take political matters into their own hands, the source added.
On Saturday last, the Services and General Administration Department staff had been asked to stay in office till late evening in view of the issuance of the cabinet's expansion notification.
There were official indications that at least eight more ministers would be inducted, taking the total cabinet strength to 15. However, the notification could not be issued due to the rebel group's reservations.
A source in the dissident group said that the prime minister wanted to re-induct only two of the four ministers who had resigned and the rest from among his supporters in the parliamentary party. "However, we made it clear to the 'powers that be' that we would not compromise our rights," the source said, adding that the most important point being the appointment of eight ministers from among the group.
The group had also demanded that the portfolios should also be declared beforehand so as to build their trust "which had been repeatedly shattered by the prime minister."
The rebel group also wanted elevation of the former finance minister, Shah Ghulam Qadir, either as the Legislative Assembly's speaker or as the senior minister, the source said.
The source said that the prime minister had lost the majority's trust but there was no provision in the interim Constitution whereby he could be asked to seek a fresh vote of confidence. "Practically, Sardar Sikandar-led set up is a minority government," he said. Political analysts here believe that the next two weeks would be very tough for the prime minister.