Of rifts and perseverance: Mansehra district govt threatened after losing five supporters
PML-N-led majority looks lean after JI, JUI-F appear to withdraw backing
PML-N-led majority looks lean after JI, JUI-F appear to withdraw backing. STOCK IMAGE
MANSEHRA:
The fate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led council in Mansehra hangs in the balance after five of its members lost their seats at the district government table.
Its allies Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Jamaat-e-Islami also appear reluctant to continue supporting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led district government. This has come at a time when the nazim has to get the budget passed, a budget also struggling to see light of day as it has not been finalised by the deputy commissioner.
The backdrop
PML-N nominee Sardar Said Ghulam and Qaumi Watan Party nominee Murtaza Tanoli had won the offices of district nazim and naib nazim respectively on August 30. They won by five votes.
Their rivals, Shafat Ali Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Malik Farooq of Pakistan Peoples Party, managed to bag 40 votes.
At the time, Sardar Said and Tanoli had the support of PTI’s forward bloc, JUI-F, JI and QWP. However, five members of the PTI forward bloc lost their seats. Ahmed Shehryar Khan, son of former JUI-F MNA Laiq Muhammad Khan and paternal nephew of PTI provincial president Azam Khan had tendered his resignation before he could be removed. The other four—two minority members and two women on reserved seats – were de-seated by the ECP.
Following the disqualification of four members and resignation by one, opposition sides have accelerated efforts against each other with hopes to tip the balance in their respective favour.
The PTI camp, headed by opposition leader Shafat, is busy ensuring the district nazim does not manage to pass the mandatory budget.
Meanwhile, PML-N has been making efforts to win votes from PTI in order to keep the current government intact. According to insiders, some PTI councillors close to former MNA Laiq Muhammad Khan have assured support to Sardar Said’s district government in adopting the 2015-16 budget.
The delay in budget
The budget for 2015-16 has not been presented yet. The delay is partially a result of procrastination by the deputy commissioner—a provincial representative—in finalising budget preparation. It is also a result of attempts to get assurances from the collective seven members of JI and JUI-F, who appear annoyed with the PML-N led district government.
“After losing five seats, Sardar Said’s government has no grounds with which to remain intact,” said Shafqat. He added his party’s ideologues who were enjoying PPP’s support would not allow the nazim to pass the budget.
“PTI had the right to form its government but some of its turncoats cheated the party and sided with PML-N,” said Shafqat. “PTI is now in a strong position to form the government.”
Tanoli told The Express Tribune there was a deliberate delay from the DC in preparing the budget. “I wrote to DC thrice, asking him to finalise the budget.” He added, “In the last letter, I informed him November 28 was the date fixed to present the budget but I have not received any reply,” he said.
Tanoli said PML-N, QWP and their allies would easily get the budget passed from the council with a majority vote.
“The reservations of JUI-F and JI members were also being allayed, paving the way for the budget,” added Tanoli. He said de-seated PTI members will challenge the decision of ECP within next couple of days.
On the other hand, it appeared 30 members of PML-N had a secret meeting with the district nazim where they discussed the option of tendering resignations if they failed to win the majority required to pass the budget and to keep Sardar Said’s government intact.
Deputy Commissioner Aamir Khattak and district nazim Sardar Said Ghulam were not available for comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2015.
The fate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led council in Mansehra hangs in the balance after five of its members lost their seats at the district government table.
Its allies Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Jamaat-e-Islami also appear reluctant to continue supporting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led district government. This has come at a time when the nazim has to get the budget passed, a budget also struggling to see light of day as it has not been finalised by the deputy commissioner.
The backdrop
PML-N nominee Sardar Said Ghulam and Qaumi Watan Party nominee Murtaza Tanoli had won the offices of district nazim and naib nazim respectively on August 30. They won by five votes.
Their rivals, Shafat Ali Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Malik Farooq of Pakistan Peoples Party, managed to bag 40 votes.
At the time, Sardar Said and Tanoli had the support of PTI’s forward bloc, JUI-F, JI and QWP. However, five members of the PTI forward bloc lost their seats. Ahmed Shehryar Khan, son of former JUI-F MNA Laiq Muhammad Khan and paternal nephew of PTI provincial president Azam Khan had tendered his resignation before he could be removed. The other four—two minority members and two women on reserved seats – were de-seated by the ECP.
Following the disqualification of four members and resignation by one, opposition sides have accelerated efforts against each other with hopes to tip the balance in their respective favour.
The PTI camp, headed by opposition leader Shafat, is busy ensuring the district nazim does not manage to pass the mandatory budget.
Meanwhile, PML-N has been making efforts to win votes from PTI in order to keep the current government intact. According to insiders, some PTI councillors close to former MNA Laiq Muhammad Khan have assured support to Sardar Said’s district government in adopting the 2015-16 budget.
The delay in budget
The budget for 2015-16 has not been presented yet. The delay is partially a result of procrastination by the deputy commissioner—a provincial representative—in finalising budget preparation. It is also a result of attempts to get assurances from the collective seven members of JI and JUI-F, who appear annoyed with the PML-N led district government.
“After losing five seats, Sardar Said’s government has no grounds with which to remain intact,” said Shafqat. He added his party’s ideologues who were enjoying PPP’s support would not allow the nazim to pass the budget.
“PTI had the right to form its government but some of its turncoats cheated the party and sided with PML-N,” said Shafqat. “PTI is now in a strong position to form the government.”
Tanoli told The Express Tribune there was a deliberate delay from the DC in preparing the budget. “I wrote to DC thrice, asking him to finalise the budget.” He added, “In the last letter, I informed him November 28 was the date fixed to present the budget but I have not received any reply,” he said.
Tanoli said PML-N, QWP and their allies would easily get the budget passed from the council with a majority vote.
“The reservations of JUI-F and JI members were also being allayed, paving the way for the budget,” added Tanoli. He said de-seated PTI members will challenge the decision of ECP within next couple of days.
On the other hand, it appeared 30 members of PML-N had a secret meeting with the district nazim where they discussed the option of tendering resignations if they failed to win the majority required to pass the budget and to keep Sardar Said’s government intact.
Deputy Commissioner Aamir Khattak and district nazim Sardar Said Ghulam were not available for comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2015.