MUZAFFARABAD: Already reeling from massive protests in different parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) over inflated power bills and other issues of public concern, the territory’s government suffered another jolt on Wednesday when a senior PML-N leader took strong exception to the policies and conduct of Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq and said he would recommend his leadership to pull out from the ruling coalition.

Speaking at a press conference, former AJK premier and senior PML-N leader Raja Farooq Haider also threw his weight behind the “peaceful wheel jam and shutter down strike” in all three districts of Muzaffarabad division on Thursday, saying the electricity bills in their current form were beyond the paying capacity of masses.

“I am a political worker and I cannot stay away from my people who are unable to pay heavy bills…I will live and die with them. The prime ministership or ministership are of no importance to me as compared to the people,” he declared.

Mr Haider pointed out that people all over Azad Kashmir were up in arms about the increase in electricity bills and unavailability of cheap flour.

Though the prime minister had held some meetings, the results were however invisible, he said.

Referring to the people’s concerns vis-à-vis Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHP), he termed them justified because the project had not only led to environmental issues but also to alarming shortage of tap water in Muzaffarabad.

“This project was initially conceived with a production capacity of 450mw and had it not been enhanced to 969mw, neither the environmental issues nor the scarcity of water would have arisen in Muzaffarabad,” he said, adding that “on the one hand our rivers have been diverted and on the other taxes in our power bills have been inflated”.

Referring to a “Poonch administrative package” announced by PM Haq at a presser in Kashmir House Islamabad earlier in the day which included creation of several additional senior level posts in some departments to be based in Rawalakot, Mr Haider said it was a wrong strategy and would not address the root cause of the unrest in the area.

“The establishment of the offices [of chief engineers, health director and divisional directors o education] in Rawalakot will not result in cheap electricity tariff and resultantly the unrest will remain in place,” he added.

Criticising the coalition government, he said it appeared to be “directionless”.

While there is a 16-member cabinet in Pakistan, there were 30 ministers, without any justification, he said.

The former AJK premier asked Mr Haq to stay in Muzaffarabad and talk to the people with patience and listen to their bitter and sweet words.

“We are not in favour of toppling the government, but we will take a decision on our course of action in consultation with the PML-N [regional] president and secretary general. In my view we should quit the coalition government,” he said.

In response to a question, Mr Haider agreed that there was a perception that PML-N as a party was not in the AJK government but some of its lawmakers were.

Maintaining that the non-allotment of portfolios to the AJK ministers had led to problems, he advised the cabinet members to resign on this issue.

“Neither can we tolerate anarchy, nor can we throw this territory into the hands of unwise people. It’s a strange spectacle that the opposition is also in the government [in AJK],” he said without elaborating.

Of the civil disobedience movement, he said it would mean inviting the enforcement of the Article 56 of the AJK’s Constitution which says nothing could prevent the Government of Pakistan from taking such action as it considered necessary or expedient for the effective discharge of its responsibilities in AJK.

“Do people know about the consequences of launching a civil disobedience? It will give justification for use of Article 56 which cannot be supported because it will end up depriving us of our fundamental rights,” the former AJK prime minister said.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2023