PoK PM faces calls to resign over his ‘anti-Pak’ comments 6 candidates in today’s race for PM

Lahore, July 31: A resolution in Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly was on Monday introduced against Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, demanding his resignation for making anti-Pakistan remarks.

On disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case last week, Mr Haider had said: “We — the people of Kashmir (PoK) — have to think now to which country we should make annexation to.”

His statement sparked widespread reaction from several political parties.

The resolution, introduced by the Pakistan Peoples’ Party legislator Khurram Wattoo, said the statement of Mr Haider has hurt the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and PoK.

Clarifying his statement, Mr Haider later said: “My statement was distorted as I did not mean to say that I would consider annexation to any other country.

“It is painful. Pakistan is my country, I have every right to be concerned and express my reservations,” he was quoted as saying by Geo TV.

Mr Haider also requested the media and other parties “not to drag Kashmir in their personal wars”. “The entire Pakistan is Kashmir and all of Kashmir is Pakistan,” he remarked.

Mr Haider also lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan. Addressing the media, he said he does not believe in Mr Khan’s Pakistan and dared the PTI chief to hold demonstrations against him in PoK.

“I will not tolerate any insult. I don’t believe in Imran Khan’s Pakistan. I believe in Quaid-e-Azam’s Islamabad July 31: Pakistan’s Opposition parties on Monday failed to agree on a joint candidate against PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for the Prime Minister’s election, with six candidates filing their nomination papers for the polls scheduled to be held on Tuesday.

President Mamnoon Hussain has summoned National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, on Tuesday at 3:00 pm to elect the new leader of the house. Mr Abbasi on Monday submitted his nomination papers. — PTI Pakistan. What are you going to do about it?” he raged, adding he does not want to be a part of the political tug-of-war under way in Pakistan.

Speaking about Nawaz Sharif ’s disqualification, Mr Haider questioned what would happen if Mr Khan were also to be disqualified. — Agencies