Muqam refuses to assume charge as minister

Farooq Aqdas
ISLAMABAD: After the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) joined the government as the coalition partner, its central leader, Engineer Amir Muqam, has joined the ministers who have expressed reservations about the decision of the party leadership and has refused to assume the charge of his ministry despite taking oath.

Amir Muqam has neither visited his ministry nor discharged any responsibility despite passage of one week since he took oath.

Earlier, expressing dissatisfaction over his ministerial slot, Riaz Pirzada had left the ministry after handing over keys of the official vehicle and some files to the minister of state. He, however, got the ministry of his choice on Sunday after pressuring his party leadership.

But Engineer Amir Muqam is of the opinion that they were not informed about the real situation on the occasion of joining the government as a coalition partner. He said they were told that the practical steps for the creation of Hazara province, clear condemation by the president and prime minister of the drone attacks and demand to the US to stop the drone attacks were among the points of the written agreement signed by President Asif Ali Zardari with regard to the inclusion of the PML-Q in the government as a coalition partner. But, he said, even initial progress has not been made on any of the issues.

Amir Muqam is of the view that if the leadership did not accept all demands and did not address their reservations within a week, he would chalk out his strategy, including resignation from the ministry, in consultation with his colleagues.

He expressed his ignorance about the appointment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor from the PML-Q.