Federal Minister for Production and PML-Q Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Amir Muqam tendered his resignation from the federal cabinet to his party President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Sunday.
A source in the PML-Q said Shujaat tried to stop Muqam from resigning, assuring him that his grievances would be removed. He said Muqam was not satisfied with his portfolio in the federal cabinet and had demanded the PML-Q leadership to bargain with the PPP for the Ministry of Water and Power.
He had also objected over his portfolio after the Ministry of Industries and Production had been bifurcated into two and the Ministry of Industries was given to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the source added. He said Muqam was also not happy with the party’s policy of ignoring party leaders from Swat and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Another source said Muqam had an offer from the PML-N keeping in view his performance in the recently-held by-election on a provincial seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He claimed that Muqam had recently met Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Nisar Ali Khan in this regard. Later, Shujaat told reporters that Muqam’s resignation was nothing of concern.
“There are always differences in larger parties…it is nothing to worry about,” he said. A source close to Muqam told Pakistan Today that President Asif Zardari had also contacted Muqam and had assured him that his grievances would be addressed.
