ISLAMABAD: The PML-N has decided to fill the vacant slots of the provincial setup in Balochistan this week before the formal announcement of former Lt-Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch and his group for parting ways with the party.
Abdul Qadir Baloch has given November 7 (Saturday) for making the announcement and determining future course of action of his group. He decided to relinquish the party and its office last week suddenly after having meeting with some important people here. Baloch played an active role in organising PDM’s Quetta public meeting in the last week of last month.
He had lengthy meeting with Maryam Nawaz in Quetta on the day of PDM public meeting. PML-N chairman and Leader of Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq has termed quitting of Abdul Qadir Baloch and his handful associates good omen for the party and maintained that it has opened the floodgate of new and fresh-minded people of the province in the fold of the PML-N, who had serious reservations about Qadir Baloch and his associates as they were reluctant to join the party because of them.
“The party welcomes new entrants who will become true voice of Balochistan in the PML-N. Party Quaid Nawaz Sharif is pleased about the new faces and fresh blood pumping in the veins of the party,” Raja Zafar reminded.
He said consultations are under way to designate new acting vice president in a couple of days. Baloch, who was acting president of the PML-N Balochistan chapter while taking exception to the narrative of the party Quaid Nawaz Sharif about establishment’s interference in political affairs, opted to quit the party along with former chief minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, who left the country after his defeat in 2018 polls.
Since then he was staying abroad. Abdul Qadir Baloch served as federal minister under Nawaz Sharif in his last stint as prime minister. He continued with former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi afterwards who replaced Nawaz Sharif as premier. PML-N Balochistan Secretary General Jamal Shah Kakkar has regretted the decision of Abdul Qadir Baloch and his partner Nawab Sanaullah Zehri.
He is of the view that the departure of the two would help the party in becoming formidable strength in the province. The blockade for joining of new and open-minded people in the fold of the PML-N has been automatically removed as the exit of outgoing office holders would have hardly any adverse impact on the party, he opined.
