Chief Secretary Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Saturday categorically rejected the allegations levelled against him by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Sultan Mehmood that he was hand-picked by the federal government to manipulate the upcoming elections in the valley.
Talking to Business Recorder, he said that the allegations levelled against him by PTI AJK leader are a white lie, adding he was appointed as chief secretary AJK completely on merit after his predecessor Sq Leader Abid Ali Khan was retired after reaching the age of superannuation.
About the allegations of manipulating the last year elections in Gilgit-Baltistan during his stint as chief secretary, he said that GB elections took place on June 9, 2015 while he was posted out on April 7, 2015. "After his [former chief secretary] retirement I was posted there so nobody was removed to post me on this position. I was transferred from the post of Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan on April 7, 2015 and elections were held on June 9, 201, which shows I was posted out well before the election date," he added.
He also clarified that he was posted out as chief secretary Gilgit-Baltistan on his own request, against which almost all the political parties, including PTI protested that he should have stayed there unless the elections were held. He also strongly reacted to the allegations that he was hand-picked by federal government for being the son-in-law of Saeed Mehdi, a former principal secretary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, saying he was a strong believer in meritocracy.
"It is correct that I'm the son-in-law of Saeed Mehdi and I'm proud of being related to him but I've my own identity. He didn't adopt me soon after I was born and I've achieved whatever I'm today through handwork", he added. Raja continued that his 28-year unblemished career as an officer of prestigious Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) previously known as District Management Group, is self-explanatory, adding after graduating from King Edward Medical College, he had left a lucrative career in medicine.
"I opted for CSS and qualified the competitive with distinction and was allocated to DMG... I can comment a lot on Barrister Sultan but I won't because I'm not made like that. I can only say and communicate to him through you that he has been AJK prime minister as well as PTI leader in AJK [and' he should speak only once he is certain and after due verification," he maintained.
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