MUZAFFARABAD: The Peoples Party-led Azad Jammu and Kashmir government appeared on Sunday to be on the warpath with Islamabad after blaming its defeat in a by-election on the “despicable” role played by the federal minister for Kashmir affairs and the two top officials in the region posted by the centre.
Addressing a press conference at Kashmir House, Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed said that Barjees Tahir, the federal minister, had announced at an election rally in Baloch area that he could jam the working of the AJK government through the chief secretary and inspector general of police (IGP). The premier said Rangers had been deployed by them without his consent to “rig the polls”.
“The role of federal minister, Kashmir affairs secretary, chief secretary and IGP in this by-election has been disgusting. They hijacked the democratic system through manipulation and intimidation.”
In Muzaffarabad, a spokesman for the prime minister said that he had immediately relieved Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal and Malik Khuda Bakhsh Awan, the IGP, of their responsibilities.
“I and other cabinet members have found you guilty of gross misconduct, violation of Rules of Business, wilful disobedience of legal and legitimate authority and chain of command during your posting in AJK.
“There is an express dissatisfaction amongst all the members of parliamentary party over bipartisanship manifested in your discharge of official business and there is consensus that some of your actions smacked of impeding the functioning of the government and are aimed at attempting to create ill-will and controversy with the federal government,” said letters sent to both officials by the prime minister.
“You have ceased to enjoy my trust and the trust of other cabinet members. I therefore direct you to immediately cease your functioning and report to the Establishment Division forthwith.”
Copies of the letters were also sent to the office of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the establishment secretary.
The federal secretary was reminded that both officials had been posted without consent of the AJK government and asked to furnish a panel of suitable officers.
“Placement of new officers without formal consent of the AJK premier will not be acceptable.”
Some senior secretaries to the AJK government were of the view that the letters carried no weight until notified by the Services and General Administration Department. But the AJK premier’s spokesman Shaukat Javid Mir said: “There is no need of notifications. The PM’s letters to the CS and IGP are orders for them.”
A spokesman for the chief secretary clarified that Rangers had been invited on “repeated insistence of the chief election commissioner to maintain law and order in accordance with his responsibilities”.
He said requisitions for deployment of army or paramilitary personnel in AJK during elections or Muharram were never made with the approval of the prime minister.
The AJK premier said he believed that Prime Minister Sharif had been kept in the dark about the matter and “we hope he will order an inquiry”.