K-P political crisis: Imran warns ‘blackmailing’ MPAs he’ll dissolve assembly

14 legislators hand their resignations to ‘likeminded’ deputy speaker.

ISLAMABAD:

The simmering political crisis in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa reached a tipping point on Friday when Imran Khan, chief of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), gave a loud and clear warning to a group of disgruntled legislators of his party. He said that he would rather dissolve the provincial legislature and call fresh elections than caving in to the ‘forward bloc’s blackmailing’.

The warning came hours after 14 PTI legislators handed their resignations from the assembly membership to the deputy speaker, Imtiaz Shahid.

“It is their democratic right to differ and hold a meeting with the party’s chairman to convey any genuine concerns,” Imran said. “But if someone thinks that he can blackmail me, either he doesn’t know me or he is under some illusion,” he added. “We will dissolve the assembly and call fresh elections,” the PTI chief said while talking to journalists after meeting Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Nasirul Mulk.

The displeased legislators earlier met with the PTI chief who assured them that their reservations would be addressed. He also held out an assurance that an inquiry would be launched against ‘corrupt ministers’ in the provincial cabinet, irrespective of their party affiliations, according to sources privy to the meeting.

Naeemul Haq, the office in-charge of the party chairman, told The Express Tribune that the inquiry would be held within 15 days. One of the disgruntled MPAs said that their future course of action depended on the outcome of the inquiry.

“I assure you that your grievances will be addressed. I was kept in the dark [on the political situation in K-P]. The central leadership will not interfere in provincial affairs,” sources quoted Imran as saying. He also told them the portfolio of health ministry was given to Shahram Khan Tarakai of the Awami Jamhoori Ittihad Pakistan (AJIP) because the party was likely to merge into PTI soon.

Earlier in the day, 14 PTI legislators, including some former parliamentary secretaries, handed their resignations to the deputy speaker. “We’ve not resigned per se. We’ve just handed our resignations to the deputy speaker,” one of the disgruntled MPA, Javed Naseem, told journalists. He added that Imtiaz Shahid was also one of them.

How it started

The political crisis was triggered by a recent reshuffle in the provincial cabinet. Sources said that most disgruntled members were unhappy over giving ministries to the MPAs who joined the PTI after being elected as independent candidates. Sources added that this discontent was not limited to legislators – PTI’s activists were also angered by the move.

The number of disgruntled MPAs has swelled to 20. Not only that, some MNAs of the party are also lending them support because they believe the central leadership should not meddle in the affairs of the provincial government. This infighting has emboldened the opposition parties who submitted a requisition for an assembly session with the speaker where they might ask the chief minister to prove he enjoys confidence of the house.

Local govt elections

PTI chief Imran Khan told journalists that the K-P government was ready to hold LG elections on the 30th of this month. “We’re ready to conduct the elections on April 30 and we offered the Election Commission of Pakistan to start its pilot project of biometric and electronic voting system in the province,” he added.

He criticised the provincial governments of Punjab and Sindh for dilly-dallying on the LG polls. “They have demarcated constituencies in their respective provinces in such a way that elections could not be held. Their act is based on mala fide intentions,” he added.

Imran reiterated his demand for the re-verification of votes in four constituencies at least to determine the level of rigging in the 2013 parliamentary elections. He lamented that there was a free media and an independent judiciary in Pakistan but no independent election commission.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2014.