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Pak army opposes Qayyum`s election as PoK PM, nominates Hayat
Efforts to form a new government in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) after recent legislative assembly elections suffered a setback as the Pakistan army openly expressed its opposition to former `prime minister` Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan taking over the post for another term.
Efforts to form a new government in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) after recent legislative assembly elections suffered a setback as the Pakistan army openly expressed its opposition to former 'prime minister' Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan taking over the post for another term.
Qayyum's Muslim Conference (MC) has won a simple majority in the elections to the 40 seats of the PoK legislature last month and staked its claim to form the government.
However, a piquant situation has arisen following army openly expressing its preference in favour of one of MC leaders, Sikandar Hayat Khan as the 'prime minister' instead of Qayyum who was preferred by the majority of the party's elected representatives, media reports in Islamabd said on Sunday. A Pakistan daily reported that the military government has given its 'blessings' to Hayat Khan who was one of the elected MC legislators.
However, the army's reported decision has sent a wave of anger among the supporters of Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan in the 30-member parliamentary party of Muslim Conference who are said to outnumber those who are siding with Sardar Sikandar Hayat, the paper said. Quoting sources it said that the Pakistan army's general offier commanding of Murree division , Maj-Gen Shahid Aziz, who is also in-charge of PoK affairs, had held separate meetings with Hayat Khan and Qayyum last Friday during which he informed them of army's decision.
It said Qayyum did not anticipate this decision but remained calm and composed. He was offered the office of the president of PoK, but he declined to accept that.
Qayyum, however, wanted to resign his seat in protest but decided to wait, it said.
The Muslim Conference parliamentary party would meet at PoK's capital Muzaffarabad on Monday, a day ahead of the first session of the new assembly and discuss the leadership issue.
The party has won the majority defeating the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government headed by Sultan Mehamud. The paper said that rumours were also rife that the federal government was considering to appoint a retired major general from PoK's southern belt for the post of president.
The reasons for army's reservations in backing Qayyum, who was known to pursue an independent line from the Pakistan government's stated Kashmir policy, were also not clear.
However, a piquant situation has arisen following army openly expressing its preference in favour of one of MC leaders, Sikandar Hayat Khan as the 'prime minister' instead of Qayyum who was preferred by the majority of the party's elected representatives, media reports in Islamabd said on Sunday. A Pakistan daily reported that the military government has given its 'blessings' to Hayat Khan who was one of the elected MC legislators.
However, the army's reported decision has sent a wave of anger among the supporters of Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan in the 30-member parliamentary party of Muslim Conference who are said to outnumber those who are siding with Sardar Sikandar Hayat, the paper said. Quoting sources it said that the Pakistan army's general offier commanding of Murree division , Maj-Gen Shahid Aziz, who is also in-charge of PoK affairs, had held separate meetings with Hayat Khan and Qayyum last Friday during which he informed them of army's decision.
It said Qayyum did not anticipate this decision but remained calm and composed. He was offered the office of the president of PoK, but he declined to accept that.
Qayyum, however, wanted to resign his seat in protest but decided to wait, it said.
The Muslim Conference parliamentary party would meet at PoK's capital Muzaffarabad on Monday, a day ahead of the first session of the new assembly and discuss the leadership issue.
The party has won the majority defeating the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government headed by Sultan Mehamud. The paper said that rumours were also rife that the federal government was considering to appoint a retired major general from PoK's southern belt for the post of president.
The reasons for army's reservations in backing Qayyum, who was known to pursue an independent line from the Pakistan government's stated Kashmir policy, were also not clear.
Bureau Report