QUETTA: Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri has contacted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and conveyed to him that the issue of no confidence motion against him needs to be resolved.
According to media reports, Zehri told Nawaz that a no confidence motion against him can have an impact on the results of the upcoming general elections.
It is understood the government has increased efforts to solve a brewing crisis in the province after provincial lawmakers submitted a no-confidence motion against Zehri. The motion, which was submitted by Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and Syed Agha Raza, was signed by a total of 14 parliamentarians. Later, the chief minister's adviser Prince Ahmad Ali Ahmadzai, Fisheries Minister Mir Sarfraz Domki and Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti submitted their resignations.
Member of Provincial Assembly belonging to Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) Sheikh Jaffar Mandokhail is the newest addition on Sunday to the group that has tendered resignations following the filing of a no confidence motion against Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Khan Zehri.
The number of ministers who have resigned over issues with Chief Minister Zehri has hit six and according to the dissenting group comprising opposition members Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and PML-Q, the toll would increase in coming 24 hours and the no-trust move would suceed. Mandokhail is visiting Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and confirmed the resignation through his spokesperson observing that he stands with his party and fellow members.
Earlier in the day, PML-N president Nawaz Sharif branded the resignations a conspiracy to influence the Senate elections. CM Zehri telephoned the PML-N chief and ex-premier seeking his help on the issue.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi asked Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam- Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for help regarding the no-confidence motion against Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri. The JUI-F chief advised the premier to resolve the issues of his own party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, in Balochistan and asked him why he had approached the JUI-F after four and a half years. Maulana Fazlur Rehman maintained that the PML-N itself pushed the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl towards the opposition in the province.
On the other hand, Pakistan People s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari thinks the federal government's lack of interest in the political crisis in Balochistan means Nawaz Sharif doesn't want the government to complete its term.
Bilawal Bhutto used his twitter account on Sunday to ask whether the federal government even cared about what was happening in Balochistan. "Has a single federal minister even gone there. It seems Nawaz doesn't want government to complete its term," he said alluding to the situation in Balochistan.
Also, Defence Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir called on Balochistan chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri here on Sunday. The two exchanged views on law and order overall political situation and other matters Federal Minister Lt General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch and Adviser Obedullah Babat were also present during the meeting.
The leaders of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl, Awami National Party and Balochistan National Party Mengal (BNP-M) convened a joint meeting to review the prevailing political situation in the province.
PML-N leader and Balochistan chief minister’s spokesperson Jan Achakzai has blamed the PML-Q and PPP for creating political unrest in the province saying that this kind of tactics will create political instability in the area. Talking to PTV, he said the ongoing political crisis in Balochistan had been created in an attempt to lessen the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s strength in the next Senate elections. There should be political stability in Balochistan to deal with internal and external threats. Differences among party leaders and workers were not unusual, he said. “In fact, political rivals have been trying to use our party leaders and workers in Balochistan and the goal behind it is to reduce the seats of PML-N in the next Senate elections ," he added. He said Pakistan had been passing through a critical time as on the one hand there was the issue of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, and on the other hand US President Donald Trump had been giving threatening messages. “Any change in the political leadership will not be in the interest of the country,” he said. He said the country was in dire need of unity at this time and all political parties should play their due role in this regard.
As the Balochistan Assembly is to take up a no-trust motion against Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri on Jan 9, Prince Ahmed Ali Ahmedzai claimed to have support of the provincial lawmakers on the matter.
Talking to a private television channel, Ahmedzai, who is also affiliated with the ruling PML-N, said more MPAs were to join the disgruntled legislators for Zehri’s inaction on the prevailing issues. He dispelled the view that the no-confidence motion has been moved at the whims of some elements. “It has been brought after keeping the issues in view,” Ahmedzai added.
He said PML-N Balochistan Senior Vice President Changez Marri would soon join the benches of discontented MPAs.
Prince Ahmed Ali Ahmedzai is one of main signatories of the no-confidence motion. He has recently resigned from his post as the chief minister’s adviser.
The coalition partners — National Party and PkMAP — have pledged to support the chief minister.
Meanwhile, President Balochistan National Party and former provincial chief minister Sardar Akthar Mengal said nationalists dwelling in Balochistan have to play their role for securing the rights of the province and its progress and prosperity. "We want to see Balochistan at a place where other people are living. To get rid of problems, internal and foreign policies have to be framed in consultation with true people's representatives We make it clear we would not withdraw from the rights of people of the province in any case."
He was addressing a ceremony organized by former MNA and central leader of the party Syed Nasir Abbas here on Sunday. Lashkari Raisani and Nasir Abbas also addressed the gathering.
Akhtar Mengal said if we see Balochistan of 30 years ago, there is a great change but maybe it is positive. When a young man leaves his home for education or securing employment, his parents are worried if their son would return alive or his dead body would come. This fear has distanced our people from education and employment. People from Hazara tribe were martyred but they know about their graves and they go to these graves and offer Fateha. No nation makes progress with charity and zakat but from rights.
