PPP set to form government in Pak

PPP will welcome MC I-candidates: Watto

Nisar Ahmed Thokar

Islamabad, June 27: Pakistan Peoples Party headed by former PaK premier Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chudhary has emerged as the region’s single largest political entity and the party is all set to form government for next five year constitution term.

As per the unofficial results, out of 37 seats that went to polls yesterday, the PPP bagged 19 seats; Pakistan Muslim League-N got 9, the ruling Muslim Conference managed to get only four seats whereas two independent candidates also won seats for the Legislative Assembly. Thought the outcome of the elections was not that much astonishing, however, there have been many surprising upsets as many towering leaders of the region including Sardar Khalid Ibraheem Khan the president of Peoples Party-AJK, Shah Ghulam Qadir the former speaker and central leader of PML-N AJK and Jammat chief Abdul Rasheed Turabi , suffered a disastrous defeat in the general elections.

Talking to greater Kashmir, renowned writer and columnist Ershad Mehmood said that it was much anticipated as the split in the Muslim Conference had strategically strengthened the PPP’s position in the region. “The divide had actually benefited the PPP candidates in the general elections as the vote bank of the party got divided among the MC and newly established PML-N AJK headed by Raja Farooq Hyder Khan”, he said.

About the formation of government in the region he said, “The PPP can form government on its own but it seems that the PPP leadership is willing to make an alliance with the Muslim Conference”, he said adding that by doing so they will in a better position to establish stable government in the territory.

The Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Mian Manzoor Watoo said , “Despite having majority PPP will welcome independent candidates and the Muslim Conference to form the government”.  He said that polls have proved that the PPP was party with deep roots and support base in all four provinces of Paksitan and AJK and Gilgitbaltistan.

Meanwhile, the minister for information and broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the elections in PaK showed Kashmiris’ confidence in the coalition government led by Pakistan Peoples Party in the centre. “Government losing popularity is just opposition’s propaganda to misguide the masses”, she said adding that there have been selection rather than the election on Kashmiri refugees seats in Pakistan in the past.