By Shabbir Mir in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2014.
GILGIT: Renowned bureaucrat and former managing director of government-sponsored Northern Areas Transport Corporation (Natco), Zafar Iqbal, announced his ambition to step into active politics on Monday.
Iqbal made the announcement to a gathering of select political figures from various parties of Gilgit. They included Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regional chief Hafizur Rahman, former Gilgit-Baltistan legislative assembly speaker Wazir Baig, former senior minister Muhammad Jafar, former judge Jaffar Shah and former water and power minister Didar Ali besides other key figures.
“Today everything has become a business, including politics,” Iqbal said. “However, I will try to make a difference.”
Observers believe Iqbal’s long tenure at Natco and the fact that he transformed it into a profitable company added to his credibility.
Zafar Iqbal was one of the candidates for the slot of interim chief minister after the G-B government completed its five-year tenure on December 10. Ultimately, it was Sher Jehan Mir, a renowned banker, who took office and will remain caretaker CM till elections, likely to be held in April next year.
When asked which party he was going to join, Iqbal said a decision would be taken in due course. PML-N’s regional chief Hafizur Rahman said his party would welcome Iqbal if he chose to join, “We will be pleased to have someone like him,” said Rahman.
Iqbal’s decision to join politics comes days after the G-B government ended its five-year term, paving the way for an interim set-up which became possible after amendments in the G-B Self-Governance and Empowerment Order 2009. www.tribune.com.pk
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