Mass defections have shaken Q-League

GILGIT: Mass defections in the former ruling party, the Q-League, have crippled the party in Gilgit-Baltistan, threatening its future in the region.

The PML-Q, led by the Chaudhrys of Gujrat, had swept the general elections held under former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, becoming the single largest party to form a government. It completed its five-year constitutional term despite change of government in the Centre. In the 2008 elections, the party’s performance was dismal as it could grab only two seats in the 36-member legislative council.

With the departure of Pervez Musharraf, the PML-Q’s popularity graph started dipping across the country. And Gilgit-Baltistan is no exception where dozens of PML-Q stalwarts defected to join other parties.

Those who quit the PML-Q to join the rival N-League included former chief executive Gilgit-Baltistan Mir Ghazanfer, MLA Rani Atiqa, from Hunza-Nagar district, MLA Fida Muhammad Nashad, MLA Ibrahim Sanai, from Skardu, and MLA Janbaz Khan, from Diamer district. Similarly, MLA Ayub Shah and former education adviser Abdul Hamid, from Astore district, joined the ruling PPP.

Former president of the Gilgit-Baltistan chapter of the PML-Q Abdul Wahid Khan has formed a new regional party, Gilgit-Baltistan Qaumi Movement.

Senior vice-president of the PML-Q Muhammad Sharif, Sarfraz Shah, from district Ghizar, Sher Nayab, Sana Khan and Karim Khan also left the Q-League to join the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), a party that Pervez Musharraf plans to launch.

Former deputy speaker Asad Zaidi was murdered and Abdul Qudoos died a natural death last month. Former MLA advocate Ghulam Nabi died in a road accident.

But the most vocal PML-Q lawmaker Marvi Memon hasn’t lost hope. She frequently visits the region in an attempt to keep the crumbling PML-Q alive in a region governed by the PPP. Only Muhammad Aslam Khan, the new president of PML-Q Gilgit-Baltistan chapter, Mirza Hussain and Bashir Ahmed, sitting MLAs, are still part of the Q-League.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2010.