Pak. army against Qayyum taking over as PoK PM

ISLAMABAD, JULY 22. Efforts to form a new Government in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) after the recent Legislative Assembly elections suffered a setback as the Pakistan army openly expressed its opposition to the former `Prime Minister', Mr. Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan, taking over the post for another term. Mr. Qayyum's Muslim Conference (MC) has won a simple majority in the elections to the 40 seats of the PoK legislature last month and staked its claim to form the Government. However, a piquant situation has arisen following the army openly expressing its preference in favour of one of the MC leaders, Mr. Sikandar Hayat Khan, as the `Prime Minister' instead of Mr. Qayyum, who was preferred by the majority of the party's elected representatives, media reports here said today.

Pakistan daily The Dawn reported that the military Government has given its `blessings' to Mr. Hayat Khan, who was one of the elected MC legisltors. ``However, the army's reported decision has sent a wave of anger among the supporters of Mr. Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan in the 30-member Parliamentary Party of Muslim Conference who are said to outnumber those who are siding with Mr. Sardar Sikandar Hayat,'' the newspaper said.

Quoting sources, it said that the Pakistan army's General Officer Commanding of Murree division, Maj. Gen. Shahid Aziz, who is also in-charge of PoK affairs, had held separate meetings with Mr. Hayat Khan and Mr. Qayyum last Friday during which he informed them of army's decision.

It said Mr. Qayyum did not anticipate this decision but remained calm and composed. He was offered the office of the President of PoK, but he declined to accept that. Mr. Qayyum, however, wanted to resign his seat in protest but decided to wait, it said.

The Muslim Conference Parliamentary Party would meet at PoK's capital of Muzaffarabad tomorrow a day ahead of the first session of the new Assembly and discuss the leadership issue.

The party has won a majority defeating the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Government headed by Sultan Mehamud. The Dawn said rumours were also rife that the federal Government was considering appointment of a retired Major General from PoK's southern belt for the post of President.

The reasons for the army's reservations in backing Mr. Qayyum, who was known to pursue an independent line from the Pakistan Government's stated Kashmir policy, were also not clear.

- PTI

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