Divisions hit BAP over Balochistan CM post nominee

 

QUETTA: The Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) on Wednesday failed to nominate a consensus candidate for the slot of provincial chief minister as differences surfaced within the party over the nomination of Jam Kamal Khan Alyani by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen in Islamabad a day earlier.

Opposing the nomination of Mr Kamal, Balochistan president of the PTI Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind said: “It was the right of the provincial parliamentary party and the party’s chairman to take decisions on such issues. We cannot allow anyone to use this right.”

He said it was decided in a meeting with PTI chairman Imran Khan that the BAP would extend its support to the PTI in the formation of government at the federal level and the PTI would support the BAP and its allies in forming a coalition government in Balochistan.

Imran calls a meeting of PTI’s MNAs- and MPAs-elect from province today

“No decision of nominating a candidate for the post of chief minister was taken in the meeting,” he claimed.

PTI chairman Imran Khan has convened a meeting of his party’s MNAs- and MPAs-elect from Balochistan on Thursday.

Balochistan National Party-Mengal president Akhtar Mengal along with other party leaders reached Islamabad on Wednesday. He is likely to meet Mr Khan during his stay in the federal capital.

Differences were also reported within the BAP over the nomination of Jam Kamal. Some members-elect supported Mr Rind’s stance and said that the BAP was formed to take all decisions regarding Balochistan in the province.

At least four other MPAs-elect were also candidates for the post of CM. The names of Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Jan Mohammad Jamali, Saleh Bhootani and Tariq Hussain Magsi were circulating in the provincial capital. Mr Bizenjo, a former chief minister of Balochistan, also expressed his reservation over the nomination of Mr Alyani in Islamabad.

“The BAP was formed to take all decisions about Balochistan in the province,” Mr Bizenjo said, adding that any decision about Balochistan taken in Islamabad was not acceptable.

There are reports that Mr Bizenjo, Jan Jamali and Tariq Magsi had a meeting with Akhtar Mengal two days ago in Quetta. Some sources claimed that they had discussed the formation of the coalition government and assured Mr Mengal of their support in his efforts with the help of like-minded allies.

However, sources in the BAP did not confirm that its MPAs-elect had assured Mr Mengal of their support for the formation of the government, excluding their party. They said that the former CM along with Mr Jan Jamal and Tariq Magsi had met Mr Mengal to congratulate him on winning the election.

The BNP-M negotiation committee was in contact with other parties and it had a meeting with the provincial leadership of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in Quetta.

“We discussed formation of the next government in Balochistan and MMA’s response was positive,” the sources said.

The BAP, which is enjoying the support of the Awami National Party, PTI and Hazara Democratic Party with 30 MPAs in a house of 51 members, is also likely to get the support of the Jamhoori Watan Party.

JWP president Shahzain Bugti was elected an MNA and his brother Gohram Bugti was elected to the provincial assembly.

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BAP nominates Jam Kamal as CM Balochistan

QUETTA: Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) on Friday nominated Jam Kamal Khan as Balochistan Chief Minister. 

Kamal is currently serving as president of BAP. The party has nominated Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo as Speaker Balochistan Assembly.

"We have taken decision for the people of Balochistan. Every decision was taken in a democratic manner," said Manzoor Kakar, BAP general secretary, at a press conference in Quetta.

Kakar said that Jan Mohammad Jamali withdrew his name for the post of Balochistan Assembly speaker. "We will consult with other parties for deputy speaker," he said.

Speaking to media, Jam Kamal Khan said his party has secured a majority in the province, but it wants to take along other parties as well.

“We have invited JUI-F and BNP for government formation in the Balochistan,” he said. 

“We will improve the province through good governance in the currently available budget. We will take Balochistan’s due rights from the federation.”

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‘Foreigner’ wins Balochistan Assembly seat in Quetta

A candidate who recently won Balochistan Assembly seat PB-26 may not be a Pakistani citizen, it turns out.

Ahmed Ali contested the general election on Hazara Democratic Party’s ticket and won the provincial assembly seat with 5,117 votes, beating the MMA’s Wali Muhammad.

But, according to NADRA officials, the man may not be a Pakistani. The authority suspects that he may be an Afghan as the Hazara people belong to Afghanistan.

The National Database and Registration Authority has blocked Ali’s computerized national identity card, which they say he acquired fraudulently.

The man attempted to established his links to a family he wasn’t related to so that he could get himself registered, Nadra authorities in Quetta stated in a letter to the deputy commissioner Quetta.

The letter says Ahmed Ali provided wrong information about his parents and his date of birth.

Reports said Nadra blocked the man’s ID card ahead of the elections on suspicion of him being an Afghan refugee.

He was barred by the Election Commission from contesting the elections, but the high court allowed him.

The deputy commissioner, meanwhile, informed the Balochistan High Court about the candidate through a letter.

The high court was hearing a petition filed by Ali.

The DC told the court that Ali has failed to prove his Pakistani citizenship with documentary evidence.

After hearing the case today, the court adjourned the hearing till next week, as officials investigate the issue.

The court will resume the hearing on Monday.

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PTI team meets Akhtar Mengal at Balochistan House

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday reached out to Balochistan National Party President Sardar Akhtar Mengal for support in the formation of government in the Centre.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal presented his demands to the PTI team. The meeting took place at the Balochistan House as the BNP-N chief refused to visit Banigala. The PTI delegation was led by Imran’s close aide Naeemul Haq and PTI Balochistan chapter President Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, Mengal said he was grateful to PTI leaders, who visited him and invited his party to become a part of the coalition government. However, he maintained that stung by political parties in the past, the decision would be made with caution.

“PTI desires us to be their partners and we also want to take the mandate of our people to the assemblies. We will extend support only on categorical assurance on acceptance of our demands,” Mengal pointed out.

About the all parties conference of the opposition parties in Islamabad, he explained that they were not invited to the event and if invited, they would present their demands before those parties. “And whosoever would accept our demands, we are prepared to go along,” he emphasized. Earlier, he informed the PTI delegation about the issues faced by the people of Balochistan and said that till and said that till core issues were not resolved, Balochistan would not make progress. He raised the issue of missing persons with the visitors and said that the missing persons should be recovered safe and sound and the CPEC be implemented with regard to its share for Balochistan.

About formation of a coalition government in Balochistan, he made it clear that BNP would not blindly support anyone if a provincial chief minister was to be named without taking them on board.

He explained, “JUI-F is an ally and we will sit together and decide whether to sit in the opposition benches or not," he added. Speaking on the occasion, Rind said that Mengal's demands would be presented to PTI chairman. He was confident that the Imran-Mengal meeting would yield positive results and they would work together.

On naming of Balochistan Awami Party President Jam Kamal Khan as chief minister, Rind said that he had no objection on his nomination. Naeemul Haq said that meeting with Mengal was quite pleasant and that the demands made by him were new, which would be presented to Imran, who was going to be prime minister of Pakistan shortly. He said they assured Mengal that Imran would be the only prime minister, who would give due rights to Balochistan.

Mengal desired to receive Imran at Balochistan House on the possibility of mutual cooperation in future. In an another development, an independent lawmaker-elect from NA-190 Mohammad Amjad Farooq and two MPAs-elect of Punjab Assembly Mohsin Atta Khosa and Malik Ghulam Rasool Sangh from PP-288 and PP-83 respectively Thursday announced to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

They had a meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan at Chairman’s Secretariat Banigala here. The new-comers expressed complete confidence and trust in the leadership and party’s manifesto. Imran warmly welcomed the lawmakers into PTI’s fold.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen, led by Allama Raja Nasir Abbas called on Imran Khan here at Banigala to congratulate him on his victory in the general elections.

Speaking on the occasion, MWM leadership lauded chairman’s resolve to make the country a welfare state on the principles of the State of Madina. “We hope that preserving national integrity and honor will be the most pressing consideration of the foreign policy”, MWM leaders emphasised. Imran thanked MWM delegation for paying a visit to felicitate him.

In another development, Imran has directed to arrange the oath-taking event with austerity. He will take his oath in a simple ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr. According to the PTI’s Central Media Department, the party’s Central Secretary Information Fawad Chaudhry said that no foreign dignitaries were being invited and hence the ceremony would be completely national in its facade and essence.

“Only a few close friends of Imran Khan will be invited, as PTI chairman has directed to arrange the oath-taking event in a simple ceremony at the Presidency without any show of extravagance," he explained.

PTI leader Senator Faisal Javed also refuted the reports circulating in the media regarding invitations being sent to foreign players and actors to the oath-taking ceremony. “Being the custodians of taxpayers’ money, we are looking forward to hold a simple and austere oath-taking ceremony completely national in its façade and essence”, he maintained.

He stated that players from across the world including India had sent warm wishes to the Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan. PTI chairman, he added, heartily thanked everyone for wishing him on his party’s historic win in the elections.

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