Prime Minister of Azad Jammu Kashmir, Raja Farooq Haider o Monday resigned from his office but will continue till August 6, when President AJK summons the assembly to elect new leader of the house. "We still have support of 28 members of the 49 member AJK Assembly, but some perpetrators are bent upon derailing the transparent process of good governance," Farooq Haider said while announcing his resignation in a press conference at Kashmir House here.
He tendered his resignation, a day before the no-confidence motion was being tabled against him in AJK on Tuesday (July 27) by Sardar Ateeq Khan, President of Muslim Conference and signed by 11 members all from opposition. The no-confidence was submitted to Assembly Secretariat on Friday and the speaker called session of the AJK Legislative Assembly on Tuesday (July 27) for vote.
Farooq Haider said he has sent the resignation to AJK President Raja Zulqarnain and advised him to summon the AJK Assembly session in 14 days (till August 6) to elect new leader of the House. "Constitution allows me to continue or to nominate any minister to run the affairs. I will continue till August 6," he added.
He said Federal Government has attacked the AJK people's right to rule and want to install the people of its choice to protect its interests. He lambasted the Federal Government of Pakistan Peoples Party Prime Minister Gilani, Kashmir Affairs Minister Manzoor Wattoo saying that at present three governments are working in Kashmir - AJK Government, Kashmir Council and Federal Government.
He criticised the federal government saying that it backed out of the commitments made with AJK government and with people during launch of Mangla Dam Upraising Project. "I have raised the voice for Net Hydel Profit from Mangla Dam and drinking water from the dam for people of Mirpur, which was not acceptable to PPP led Federal Government," he added.
He said he forcefully took up the issue of tax money of Kashmiri people and told the Federal Government to use tax money of Kashmir on Kashmiri people. "It is not personal wealth to be used for purchasing loyalties. It is tax money which needs to be spent on welfare of taxpayers," he said.
He said no member of Muslim Conference Parliamentary Party was part of no-confidence motion against him. But, he added, PPP which is unable to digest his bold moves against corruption came to the forefront and is using Sardar Ateeq. "These people turned against me since I talked for the rights of the Kashmiri people," he said.
Raja Farooq said he never wanted to become the prime minister but he happened to be premier as per wishes of members of the Parliamentary Party. He alleged that Prime Minister Gilani is working against him, adding that the day he refused to accept the unconstitutional order during the Azad Kashmir judicial crisis, he developed grudge against him.
To a question regarding opening of AJK chapter of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), Farooq said when Pakistan based political parties such as PPP, Jamat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan and Muttahida Qaumi Movement have their chapters in AJK then what is the harm in having PML-N chapter?
"We don't want to divide the party, but if some people are bent upon doing this, we will defeat them," he said, adding that he and his supporters in AJK Assembly would help any leader of the House to be elected on August 6, minus Sardar Ateeq. It is the third time a no-confidence motion was moved against the sitting prime minister since 2006 elections. The opposition Friend's Group led by a faction of the ruling Muslim Conference claimed that 18 of 24 Cabinet members had resigned and deserted the premier.