MUZAFFARABAD: Former National Assembly speaker and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser on Sunday alleged that some “forces” were pressuring and tempting his party’s lawmakers in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) into switching sides, and warned that such “criminal acts” would have a detrimental effect on the Kashmir cause.

“I want to bring to your notice that some forces here have tried either to pressurize or lure our people into changing their loyalties…It’s PTI’s mandate to run the government in Azad Kashmir and if this mandate is robbed, it will have a worse impact on the Kashmir freedom movement and India will negatively exploit it,” he said at a hurriedly-held media talk at the Prime Minister’s House.

Azad Kashmir’s acting prime minister Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, some other PTI lawmakers and a sizable number of party workers were also present on the occasion.

Ever since the disqualification of former premier Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, the PTI has been facing serious crises which many fear may culminate in its split.

Accuses unnamed ‘forces’ of coercing and luring PTI lawmakers into changing loyalties

President Barrister Sultan Mahmood is backing a ‘forward bloc’ of the PTI legislators and wants to form the new government with the help of opposition PPP and PML-N lawmakers in the assembly.

Mr Qaiser said the PTI had a clear majority in the AJK Assembly, with 31 MLAs of its own and one from the allied Muslim Conference.

“We have held detailed discussions with our parliamentary party and we have complete trust in them that they have commitment with an ideology and with Imran Khan,” he said.

He recalled that when the PML-N was in power in Azad Kashmir, its mandate was fully respected by the PTI government in Islamabad and added that the PTI’s mandate should also be respected in the same manner.

Without naming anyone, he made it clear that the people of Azad Kashmir would themselves take the turncoats to task.

“Lotacracy will become their identity and will deprive them and their families of whatever respect they enjoy,” Mr Qaiser said.

He said the PTI lawmakers were self-respecting people and could not be coerced or purchased but he had information that attempts were being made to this effect.

“Today I am cautiously speaking, but tomorrow I will speak openly. If they do not stop, they should keep in mind we will not sit at ease. We will not give anyone the right to form a government without a mandate of the people,” the former NA speaker said.

Mr Qaiser said his party had initiated a movement in Pakistan but since Azad Kashmir was a very sensitive area it did not want to disturb its sensitivity.

“We are political people and understand everything. The more Imran Khan faced trials, the more his popularity increased,” he said, adding that the next elections in Pakistan were bound to return the PTI under the leadership of Mr Khan with a two-third majority.

Mr Qaiser parried a question about President Mahmood and said he would respond to all questions on Monday.

To a question, he said the decision about the PTI’s prime ministerial candidate would be taken by Mr Khan by Monday morning in consultation with all lawmakers who had given him authority in this regard.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2023