Hunza News

Crisis averted: PML-Q to stay in G-B govt following chief minister’s U-turn

Share This Post

GILGIT:The “snakes in the grass” remain in the coalition government in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) as Chief Minister (CM) Mehdi Shah on Wednesday retracted his statement from a day earlier wherein he had announced the termination of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) alliance with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

HunzaNews May 8th, 2014.

PML-Q’s Mirza Hussain had drawn the CM’s wrath in the G-B Assembly after he termed the government and its ministers corrupt, saying they had plundered funds for the past four years. This had prompted the CM to berate Hussain for his attitude, calling PML-Q leaders “snakes in the grass”.

The dramatic reunion took place at the chief minister’s residence on Tuesday, when PML-Q members arrived at about 10pm – nine hours after Shah, speaking on the floor of the house, ruled out any rapprochement with them without first receiving an “unconditional written apology”.

“Nothing of the sort happened,” said Hussain, when asked if he had tendered the apology. “I shook hands with the CM and others as usual, and had a cup of tea before leaving his house,” he added, saying he would never beg pardon for what he said in the assembly.

Politicians who attended the late-night meeting at the CM house confirmed Hussain’s statement, saying Shah did not seek any apology from any member. The main role in brokering the patch-up between the CM and PML-Q leaders was reportedly played by Minister for Works Bashir Ahmed, a senior leader of PML-Q who was given the ministry under former president Asif Ali Zardari’s policy of reconciliation.

According to officials privy to the development, Ahmed made several phone calls to PPP lawmakers, requesting them to mediate the crisis. A senior lawmaker told The Express Tribune that Ahmed’s efforts bore fruit and Shah took back his earlier decision.

While the reconciliation brings joy to the PML-Q camp, it has annoyed a number of PPP lawmakers.

“Never trust what our CM says,” said G-B Minister for Agriculture Sheikh Nisar, “This man has belittled us in the eyes of the public.”

After assuming power in G-B in 2010, the PPP forged an alliance with PML-Q, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), despite a two-thirds majority in the assembly.

Express Tribune

More To Explore