PML-Q legislators demand place in G-B cabinet

Sources say that the CM is not keen on adding new coalition partners.

GILGIT:

Following the coalition at the Centre, legislators of PML-Q in Gilgit-Baltistan have been mounting pressure on Chief Minister Mehdi Shah to make a decision about their ‘due’ share in the regional government, sources told The Express Tribune on Friday.

“There have been increased attempts on the part of the PML-Q politicians in G-B with ruling party leaders for adjustment in the government,” said a senior politician of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Gilgit. “But the issue isn’t under consideration at the moment at any level,” he added.

PML-Q lawmakers have expedited efforts to grab their share in the setup. “We now deserve to be part of the G-B government,” said a legislator of PML-Q in the G-B assembly. He said that they had also contacted Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi in this connection but didn’t get any response from their side. “We wanted our central leadership – the Chaudhry brothers – to take up the issue with the top leadership of the PPP for our share in the regional setup,” he said.

The legislator, requesting anonymity, said that they would not let go of the issue and will continue their struggle.

However, sources in the PPP said that Mehdi Shah was reluctant to have PML-Q onboard in the G-B government as they already have enough coalition partners in the cabinet.

“It’s a difficult job accommodating PML-Q lawmakers in the government because we already have JUI-F as our coalition partner in the government,” said another senior leader of the PPP in Gilgit.

He said that certain PPP leaders were constantly reminding Mehdi Shah of the bitter experience they had with the PML-Q in the past.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2011.