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| Qaazi not Raazi | | | Early Time Reporter
Jammu, Sept 2: In a major development, first of its kind after the formation of present coalition government, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today stripped Peoples Democratic Party's Qazi Mohammad Afazal of the charge of Forest department.
Qazi Mohammad Afzal, an MLA of the Peoples Democratic Party from Ganderbal constituency was a Minister for Housing and Urban Development and Forests. The Forest department was held by Tariq Hamid Qarra till last year before he was made the Finance Minister.
Official sources described this as exercise of the prerogative by the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Till any further decision, the Chief Minister has retained the charge of Forest department with himself.
Sources refused to comment when asked if there were any charged against the Minister that his department was revoked in a sort of pressing urgency. The Chief Minister who left Srinagar this after made this decision known after returning for the Bakshi Stadium where he was the chief guest of a sporting event of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Even though the order was signed on Saturday but was released today.
A circular signed by the Chief Secretary C Phunsog was circulated in the summer capital Srinagar this afternoon among all concerned that Qazi Mohammad Afzal has relieved of the charge of Forest department which the Chief Minister will hold with himself.
Qazi Afazal who was attending a function at the Gurudwara Singh Sabha with his party and cabinet colleague Abdul Aziz Zargar, sources said, did not have any advance idea of this development. "He came to know that he is no more the Forest Minister only when the circular was issued", said a source close to the Minister.
It is learnt that Qazi has petitioned before party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed tgo look into the matter that why his department was withdrawn without taking him into confidence. The PDP cadres were tight lipped on the issue even though they said that this is Chief Minister's prerogative to take such a decision.
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