Switching sides: PML-N draws G-B’s veteran politicians into its fold

Several leaders have defected to join the party in anticipation of it winning a majority.

GILGIT:

Anticipating a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) victory on Election Day, at least a dozen regional politicians from various parties have recently defected to the party in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

The newest PML-N members were recruited on Thursday when Haji Qurban, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Nagar Valley president, and Jan Alam, a politician from Hunza, announced they would be joining the party’s ranks along with their supporters.

The announcement was made in a ceremony held at a local hotel, which was attended by senior leaders of the PML-N including regional chief Hafizur Rahman. Welcoming the new arrivals, Rahman hoped the party would sweep the elections.

Last week, Malik Miskeen, a senior member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) from Diamer valley, also joined the party taking with him hundreds of his supporters and friends. Miskeen, a notable politician, was the speaker of the G-B Assembly during the government of ex-president Pervez Musharraf – the man responsible for sending PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif packing.



Similarly, dozens of influential people from Barmas opted to join the PML-N, expressing confidence in the regional leadership.

Last month, Ghulam Mohammad, a key leader of the PPP in G-B, defected to the Nawaz League after he was sidelined by his own party. A resident of Ghizer valley, Mohammad remained PPP’s general secretary for several years.

Haji Fida Mohammad Nashad, a senior leader of the PML-Q, joined the PML-N in 2012. Nashad was the deputy chief executive of the G-B government during Musharraf’s tenure.

The PML-N’s popularity in G-B, at least amongst veteran politicians, is rising day by day in the run up to the polls. Independent observers believe the defections may increase in the coming days if the PML-N wins a majority.

Meanwhile, even though residents of G-B cannot cast their votes on Election Day due to constitutional reasons, they will be closely watching who forms the country’s next democratic government in Islamabad come May 11.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2013.