Baig breaches PDP’s media policy

Peoples Democratic Party Monday continued to distance itself from senior party leader and MP, Muzaffar Hussain Baig’s statements including his offer of resignation from the parliament and views about the alliance formation with BJP.
After courting controversy over his remarks on the settlement of West Pakistan refugees in J&K, Baig had issued a clarification saying that he has sent his resignation to party patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed with the request that it be forwarded to Speaker of Lok Sabha if his intentions are suspected.
PDP Chief Spokesman Naeem Akhtar declined to comment over Baig’s statements. “He (Baig) is a senior leader; he knows what he is talking about. Ask him what made him write the resignation,” Akhtar said.
In his clarification, Baig had also talked about the government formation among other things thereby going against the party’s media policy. After the declaration of Assembly election results, PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti had said only the party spokesman would be authorized issue statements “which should be taken as the stated position of the party on various policy issues”.
“In the prevailing hazy political scenario, unqualified comments in the media only add to the confusion and fuel wild speculations,” Mehbooba had said.
Baig’s remarks on the issue of settlement of West Pakistan refugees had triggered avalanche of angry reactions from separatist groups and archrival National Conference.
Baig had called the settlement of refugees a “humanitarian issue” for which he suggested a “middle path must be found”. PDP distanced itself from his statement saying that it was his personal opinion.
Later responding to the criticism, he said: “There has been a whisper campaign that I am pushing for an alliance between BJP and PDP because I would like to get some personal benefit out of it. I have made it clear to both the BJP emissary as well as PDP leadership that I express my views without any desire or agenda to secure any political position.”
Meanwhile, a close aide of Baig said the resignation letter, mentioned in his Sunday’s statement, “had not been written recently”.
Reiterating his view on PDP-BJP alliance, Baig had said it will remain stable only if there is good faith agreement on political issues of the state contained in the CMP.
“Mufti sahab and Mehbooba Ji, who are the only two decision makers in the party, should forge such an alliance only out of conviction and not out of compulsion. If they are convinced that such an alliance will be in the interests of the State, politically and economically, they should go ahead.”
Meanwhile, PDP spokesman refused to comment on any development on controversial issues like AFSPA, Article 370 and West Pakistan refugees during its negotiations with the BJP.
“Structured dialogue is yet to begin. Everything will be clear once the common minimum programme would be out,” Akhtar said.