Zardari nods to establish PPP govt in AJK

ISLAMABAD - Central leadership of the ruling PPP has decided to establish its party government in AJK by sketching out a blue print that could be a big surprise for other stakeholders eyeing key role in the future political set-up. Well-placed sources told TheNation on Thursday that PPP Co-chairperson President Zardari, who is on official visit to the United Kingdom, had given go ahead to the party leadership to strive for establishing party government in AJK, bringing an end to speculation that the Muslim Conference could be part of the future set-up. According to the proposed blue print, the PPP will retain both the top political slots - president and prime minister - with strong possibility of Ch Lateef Akbar as president while Ch Mohammad Yaseen as prime minister of AJK. Sources said Ch Lateef Akbar was one of the three potential candidates for the slot of president including Sardar Qamaruz Zaman and Sardar Yaqoob Khan besides the incumbent AJK President Raja Zulkarnain Haider who had equal chances of retaining his office. These developments took place after PPP senior leaders - Jahangir Badar, Faryal Talupur, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf - believed to have found severe intra-party rifts during the process of interviewing party candidates for the reserved seats. According to the sources, there were serious differences between two heavyweights of the party including Barrister Sultan Mehmood and Ch Abdul Majeed, both hardcore aspirants for the seat of prime minister. The leadership conveyed the prevailing situation to PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in London who, after extensive discussions and consultations with senior leadership of the party, chose Ch Yaseen as an appropriate candidate for future AJK PM. Ch Yaseen is vice president of PPP-AJK and member of CEC as well. The decision has been made in the best interest of PPP-AJK to save the party from any disintegration in the future, the sources added In a meeting with the PPP leadership of UK chapter, Zardari declared Ch Yaseen as appropriate candidate for premiership for his undoubted loyalties with the party and Benazir Bhutto. The PPP senior leadership reportedly acknowledged that Ch Yaseen was the closest and most confidant of Benazir Bhutto. Due to unprecedented sacrifices and time-tested loyalty with 'Bhuttoism, he was honoured by Benazir Bhutto as the partys permanent CEC member, general secretary and then senior vice president. While assessing Barrister Sultan Mehmood, the PPP leadership agreed that in 1996 Benazir Bhutto had ignored PPP-AJK loyal leaders and made Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry the AJK prime minister and president. After that in 2001 AJK assemblys elections, the PPP-AJK was defeated by the Muslim Conference and Benazir Bhutto made Barrister Sultan Mehmood opposition leader in the AJK assembly. The leadership agreed that despite having series of kindness, Barrister Sultan did not show faithfulness towards Benazir Bhutto and played key role in defeating Raja Salis Kiany who was nominated by Benazir. Barrister then put all his efforts to support his crony Hameed Pothi. This act of his (Barrister) infuriated jayalas and due to discipline violations, Benazir expelled Barrister Sultan from the PPP. There was consensus among the PPP leaders that 'Jayalas had reservations about Barrister Sultan as they believed that he might leave the party any time for his vested interest, the sources added The sources further said that while assessing Ch Abdul Majeed, the party leadership had agreed that due to his temperament and harsh attitude he was not considered fit to become AKP PM. Besides, he was also not enjoying good health, they added. It was also discussed that Majeed had changed his loyalties in 1985 election. He had separated himself from the PPP by submitting an affidavit of disassociation in the AJK High Court and contested election as an independent candidate notwithstanding Benazir had boycotted the elections, the sources added After having through assessments of the candidates, the central leadership of the PPP agreed in favour of Ch Yaseen keeping in view his great services for the Bhutto family. Earlier, President Zardari nominated Ch Yaseen for Benazir Bhuttos peace award, the sources added. After completing the electoral process of reserved seats and nomination of premiership by Asif Ali Zardari, the future PM of AJK is expected to take oath on July 25, the sources added.