Muzaffarabad, Mar 7: Change of loyalties on one or the other pretext by legislators is not an unusual thing in our land of the pure, but hardly anyone would have spotted a lawmaker resorting to this practice for as many as 5-times in a short span of 5-years.
 Though many of the 48 PaK Legislative Assembly members are alleged to have set unprecedented records of treacheries and perfidies without any recession, one of them however carries the “unique distinction” of being a cabinet member in all four governments that replaced each other in 5-years, without even change of portfolio.
 Col (retired) Raja Muhammad Nasim, Minister for Communication and Works (C&W), does not find it unethical and instead claims that his “principled stand” would drive him towards such decisions.
  Nasim was launched in PaK’s electoral politics as a Muslim Conference (MC) candidate in July 2006 general election from Bagh district by the powers that had allegedly manipulated those polls. He was allotted the coveted portfolio of C&W and reconstruction after the formation of Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan led government.
 However, when the situation became unfavourable for Khan after the fall of his benevolent military dictator in Pakistan, Nasim also turned his back on the premier and joined a so-called Forward Block aiming Khan’s ouster.
 In a November 17, 2008 Nasim had dubbed his Prime Minister (Khan) as “the most controversial personality” who “had failed to deliver on every count.”
 Nasim was among four lawmakers tipped as likely successors of Khan but he had to remain content with the same portfolio in Sardar Yaqoob’s cabinet.
 Yaqoob’s government was sent packing after 9-months through a no trust motion by the reunified MC factions which brought Raja Farooq Haider in his place.
 Nasim was once again appointed as minister with his previous portfolio.
 However, as the proverbial palace intrigues continued in PaK, Haider was also shown the door after 9-months by Khan with the help of 21 MC MLAs and entire opposition.
  Nasim was among those who voted against Haider and once again got the same portfolio in the new (sitting) cabinet.
 After induction, he made some harshest comments in media against Haider, terming him even an “unbalanced person.” No wonder, by then he had forgotten his previous allegations against the sitting premier and was instead all praise for him.
 In the last month’s PaK Council election, Nasim however voted for the lone candidate of PML-N, a party led none other than by Haider, in an indication of his next flight.
 When asked if his alleged voltfaces were not unethical,  Nasim maintained that his moves were driven by the “interests of his voters as well as principles.”
 “I have not done it for personal gains. Whenever I felt that things were going from bad to worst I could not help but revolt,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 8 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST