 |
||
|
||
|
||
In a surprise move, Pakistan's military regime has decided to nominate a high-ranking Army general, due to retire shortly from service, for the post of president of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), media reports said here today.
Vice chief of general staff at Pakistan Army's general headquarters in Rawalpindi Gen Mohammad Anwar Khan was tipped to become president of PoK, Pakistan daily ''The Dawn'' said today.
Quoting sources, it said Khan could be retired within 24 hours and be made the ruling Muslim Conference's candidate for elections to the office of PoK president.
The nomination papers for the presidential polls are to be filed on July 31 and the polling will be held on August 1. The electoral college of the president comprises 48-member strong PoK Assembly, six member PoK council and the federal minister in charge of PoK council. Officials were not immediately available to comment on the report.
The decision to nominate a high-ranking Army general as president of PoK followed a controversial move by the Army to openly express its opposition to leader of Muslim Conference (MC) Sardar Abdul Qayyum, a moderate, taking over as prime minister again defeating PoK's Pakistan People's Party unit led by former prime minister Sultan Mehmod.
''The Dawn'' said the partymen wanted Qayyum to take over as the president but he declined saying that the military government was not feeling comfortable with him which was why he did not want to become even the president.
''Though the nomination of Gen Anwar was surprising for commoners and majority of the Muslim Conference parliamentary party was also taken aback when they were told that a serving Army general was most likely to be their party's candidate for the presidential slot,'' the newspaper said.
The reports of Army's interference in the PoK election process followed India's insistence in the Agra summit to stop cross border terrorism from Pakistan, which was firmly rejected by Islamabad, the paper said.
The allegations of Army's interference also followed boycott of PoK elections by Amanullah Khan-led Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and All-Party National Alliance (APNA) led by Arif Shaid protesting against a clause in election rules, which stipulated all the contestants to sign a declaration accepting accession of PoK to Pakistan.
Amanullah Khan reportedly argued
that the accession clause went against Pakistan's stand of supporting the
right of self-determination of Kashmiris.
|
||
|
||
|
||