It was for the first time in recent political history that such a large number of Baloch women came out on the streets, challenging the legitimacy of the elections.

Addressing the protesters, BNP-M women’s wing central secretary Jamila Baloch along with Sania Baloch, Rashida Baloch, Zaibun Nisa, Musrat Baloch, Asima Baloch, Zeenat Baloch and others said that the Baloch nation had acquired the capability to resist exploitation and therefore, the Baloch women had taken to the roads against the “poll fraud”.

They said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had promised to conduct free and fair elections in Balochistan but the 65 years old exploitative establishment snatched the right of expression of the Baloch people and through a well-thought-out conspiracy, altered the results of the polls to make BNP-M unsuccessful in the elections.

They appreciated the stand of Sardar Akhter Mengal, saying he was making efforts to bring peace and prosperity in Balochistan and end all atrocities.

They said in order to insult the mandate of the masses, a pro-establishment ethnic party was declared successful even in Baloch-dominated constituencies with the aim of snatching the right of representation of the Baloch people, adding that BNP-M will not allow politics to be played in the name of Afghan refugees.

They said that the purpose of protest was not to acquire power or to enter assemblies but it was to tell the world how the Baloch people were deceived in the name of elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2013.

QUETTA: Upon his visit to Balochistan, Vice President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Mian Shahbaz Sharif said that a Balochistan chief minister will be appointed after consultation with all parties in the ruling coalition and reiterated that the provincial cabinet this time round will be smaller than it had been in the past.

“Ministries and portfolios will not be available for every minister,” said Shahbaz, while addressing the media after his arrival in Quetta on Sunday.

The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Awami National Party and National Party have allied with the PML-N, giving it a simple majority to form a provincial government in Balochistan.

Shahbaz also lauded PML-N’s Balochistan chief Nawab Sanaullah Zehri for spearheading the election campaign amid unrest in the province, a daunting task.

He said he had a detailed discussion with President PkMAP Mahmood Khan Achakzai and President National Party Malik Baloch on the making of the provincial government.

An ideal leadership

He pledged to introduce the best possible leadership to head the Balochistan government. “The PML-N government would accelerate the pace of economic development ending mass unemployment and banishing poverty by implementing credible economic policies.”

Talking to media after arrival here on Sunday and consulting the partners and allies on ministry-making, the PML-N leader told newsmen that the new government would mitigate human suffering and focus on “good governance through a representative cabinet.”

Shahbaz added that the priority would be given to ending load shedding and containing the rampant corruption.

A ‘different’ government

Vice President of National Party Mir Hasil Bizenjo said that his party along with the PML-N and the PkMAP would form a coalition government in Balochistan “which would be different from the past governments”.

“We hope that the decision made by PML-N leaders for the selection of chief minister Balochistan would be in favour of all,” said Bizenjo, while talking to journalists after meeting Shahbaz Sharif and others in Quetta on Sunday.

Bizenjo assured that a fair and strong government would be established to restore peace and end deprivation in Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2013.

The Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Awami National Party and NP have thrown their weight behind the PML-N for the formation of the new provincial government.

“The mainstream national-level parties will be in a better position to resolve the issues confronting Balochistan. We hope the Centre will not neglect our province,” Baloch told a news conference in Quetta on Saturday. He was referring to the PML-N.

“Balochistan is passing through a critical juncture. In the past, national-level parties did not bother to study the myriad of problems in Balochistan, its local politics and parties,” he added.  “If the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif fail to break away from the tradition, the problems of Balochistan will multiply.”

Baloch called for synchronised efforts from politicians, intellectuals and the media to restore peace and normalcy in the province.

At the news conference, independent MPA-elect from PB-47 Washuk Mir Mujeebur Rehman, along with his supporters, joined the NP.

Baloch revealed that his party had tried to form an electoral alliance with Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s Balochistan National Party-Mengal but it couldn’t materialise. Mengal has rejected the election results while doubting the whole electoral process which, he alleges, was fixed by the ‘establishment’.

International establishment

While Mengal accuses the Pakistani establishment for his party’s poor performance in the elections, another political leader claims that a much greater force, the ‘international establishment’, was behind Pakistan Peoples Party’s rout from Balochistan.

Surprisingly, the PPP, which ruled Balochistan for five years with the help of its allies, could not win even a single seat in the May 11 elections.

“The PPP was punished in the elections by the international establishment because of its deals with China and Iran on Gwadar Port and IP gas pipeline, respectively,” PPP Vice President Mir Baz Khan Khetran told a news conference in Islamabad.

Khetran alleged that he was defeated by design in NA-263. He alleged that three colonels presently serving in the Frontier Corps were involved in rigging in his constituency and changed election results in favour of JUI-F candidate.

According to him, FC officers took away the ballot boxes and changed the results in connivance with the local deputy commissioners. “The elections were free, but not fair,” he added. He claimed that some forces did not want to see Baloch leaders in parliament and wanted to bring alternative faces.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2013.

Shahbaz’s visit to the provincial capital of Balochistan has evoked wide interest in view of the election results and how the PML-N has received a tremendous response from other parties.

Three members of the provincial assembly (MPAs), Sardar Mohammad Salah Bhootani, Sarfaraz Bugti and Jam Kamal, had already joined the PML-N while the Jamote Qaumi Movement, possessing a single seat, had announced the unconditional merger of party with the Nawaz league, raising the strength of the PML-N to 13 seats in Balochistan.

The present position in Balochistan is as follows: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) has 10 seats, National Party has eight, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal has six, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid has four, Baloch National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) possesses two while Awami National Party, Wahdatul Muslimeen and Baloch National Party-Awami have one seat each, with the strength of independents at eight.

Therefore, the PML-N has a clear edge over the other parties with regards to claiming the slot of chief minister.

The prime candidate to date is Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, who is also PML-N’s provincial president. Political pundits are giving added importance to the candidature of Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, a former chief minister and deputy chairman of the Senate since he is experienced and is known for accommodating diverse views.

There are other aspirants, including Dr Abdul Malik, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai and Changez Marri but their chances for the top slot are slim.

BNP-M leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal will not be available in Quetta as he is still busy in overseeing repolling in some of the stations in Jhalawan. He is expected to prefer the role of opposition leader since all others have extended their support to the PML-N and its prime candidate, Sanaullah Zehri.

Mengal is still protesting against alleged poll rigging and result tampering by blocking the main RCD Highway connecting Karachi with Quetta.

It will definitely go to the credit of the Nawaz League, which will form the governments at the Centre and in two provinces – Punjab and Balochistan. Shahbaz Sharif will formally finalise the consultations before making a formal announcement on the slot of chief minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2013.

This will be the smallest coalition government in the province since the one led by Sardar Ataullah Mengal in 1972. That particular govt, a two-party coalition between the defunct National Awami Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam only ruled for nine months.

The latest coalition was announced in a press conference on Friday by PML-N Provincial President Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, NP President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, and PkMAP leader Akram Shah.

“For the future of the people of Balochistan, the three parties have unanimously decided to form a government,” said Akram Shah, adding that the leader of the house would be chosen from the PML-N.

He said the biggest challenge to the provincial government would be the law and order situation in Balochistan.

“The coalition government would try its best to provide security and relief to the people,” he said.

“The coalition government will not deviate an inch from the constitutional dictates,” said PML-N’s Nawab Sanaullah Zehri.

The size of the upcoming government in Balochistan is expected to be small, much to the disappointment of lawmakers aspiring to take up ministerial posts.

Part of this is due to the restrictions placed on cabinet size by the 18th amendment.

The media talk was brief and leaders of the three parties avoided answering questions regarding the exact mechanisms they will employ to improve law and order.

They also refrained from disclosing the name of Balochistan chief minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2013.

Sanaullah Zehri, who lost his son, brother and cousin in a bomb attack on his campaign rally in April, was speaking at a news conference in Quetta on Wednesday. At the news conference he also introduced the winning candidates who have decided to support the PML-N.

Two winning candidates – Raza Muhammad Agha and Sarfraz Bugti – announced that they were joining the PML-N unconditionally.

Zehri said all parties desired a strong government which could restore peace in Balochistan – a province racked by ethnic, sectarian, separatist and militant violence. “Balochistan needs a strongman who could end uncertainty in the province,” he added.

Responding to a question, Zehri said PML-N’s provincial leadership has nominated him for the office of chief minister. He added that Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch is the best choice for federal interior minister.

To another question, he said a strong opposition was necessary for ensuring good governance. He blamed the absence opposition in the provincial assembly for the failure of the Nawab Aslam Raisani-led government.

Meanwhile, the government-making efforts are gaining momentum in Balochistan. A delegation of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), led by its provincial chief Usman Kakar, met with Zehri at his residence to discuss the make-up of future provincial government.

According to PML-N sources, a five-member committee, comprising Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Hajji Lashkari Raisani, Naseebullah Bazai, Jamal Shah and Sardar Yaqoob Nasir, has been formed to negotiate with other parties.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2013.

Although Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) itself faces allegations of using strong-arm tactics and vote-rigging in Punjab, it was crying foul in Balochistan.

PML-N workers, led by their party’s provincial secretary general, took out a rally against the alleged tampering of results of their candidate Saher Gul Kilji from PB 2 constituency.

Marching through various streets, the workers staged a sit-in at Stewart Road. Addressing protesters, the PML-N leaders said that the election commission had given them one extra hour but voting at polling station 23 in Momanabad and polling station 37 in Naseerabad continued till late at night under the supervision of Frontier Corps and people cast their ballots illegally.

PML-N workers dispersed peacefully after registering their protest.

Balochistan National Party – Awami (BNP-A) has accused the state agencies of conspiring against the party.  BNP-A leader Syed Ehsan Shah, a former provincial minister and senator for 22 years, said he was a victim of rigging and voting fraud.

In a statement, Shah said his voters were not allowed to reach the polling stations. He said that in his constituency, elections were not conducted on as many as 12 polling stations where 13,245 voters were deprived of their right to vote.

He also accused the returning officers of PB-48 of partiality and demanded of the authorities concerned to disclose the final result of the said constituency. Similarly, former federal minister Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind has said that all the former records of rigging were broken on the constituencies of NA 267 Kachhi cum Jhal Magsi and PB 30 Kachhi, adding that the election commission and local administration had a clear part to play in it.

Likewise, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) and Muttahida Deeni Mahaz have also levelled allegations of rigging in the NA-259 constituency and have demanded a re-election.

PPP workers, led by provincial party chief Mir Sadiq Umrani, staged a demonstration in Dera Murad Jamali against alleged rigging on the provincial seat of PB-28. The town remained shut on the strike call of PPP.

The Hazara Democratic Party also staged a protest outside Quetta Press Club against the delay of results of PB-2 and alleged rigging on PB-6.

The Hazara leaders said that expectations of free, fair and transparent elections were shattered on May 11. They appealed to ECP to strike out the bogus votes and re-announce the results of the said constituencies.

The RCD Highway linking Karachi with Quetta remains shut for traffic for the past 48 hours as the political activists protesting against foul play in elections have blocked it. There was no sign that the traffic between Karachi and Quetta is restored within the next few days.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.

Demonstrations surfaced in Dera Allahyar, Dera Murad Jamali, Quetta, Duki, Loralai, Killa Abdullah and other districts by political parties.

A rally led by Molvi Hanif of JUI-Ideological gathered outside the Quetta Press Club where protesters carried placards and banners.

They chanted slogans against the alleged rigging in Killa Abdullah and Chaman polling stations, saying that the poll results should be declared null and void and new elections should be held.

The JUI-I gathering was joined by one led by Balochistan National Party-N’s Dr Jahanzaib Jamaldini. Protestors decried the rigging and tampering of results in PB-4, PB- 5, and in polling stations across Awaran, Nushki and Khuzdar.

They demanded that a re-election should be held.

“The worst rigging in history” was carried out in PB-28 of Dera Murad Jamali, said former provincial president of the PPP Sadiq Umrani. Polling stations of Feleji Kanri and Tahir Kot were targeted by explosives, killing three PPP workers.

Violence near polling stations had forced many voters to keep at bay while armed men roamed in the polling stations the all day, trying to influence voters and tamper with results, said Umrani.

Similarly, protests were staged by a large number of people against alleged rigging at PB-266 Jaffarabad, Naseerabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.

Security sources said a suicide bomber detonated an explosive-laden vehicle outside the residence of IG Mushtaq Shukhera, located on Zarghoon Road. Shukhera had just reached his home when the blast occurred, sources added. Heavy firing and small blasts were also heard in the city following the suicide attack.

CCPO Quetta Mir Zubair Mehmood told journalists that at least four people, among them a child, were killed and 40 others, including 12 policemen, were injured. The death toll rose to five later, as did the number of injured.

Medics feared that the death toll could rise as some of the injured were in critical condition.

“Mustaq Shukera had just entered his residence when the bomber hit the main gate of the house,” the CCPO said. “Law enforcers were also among the dead while a large of injured were civilians,” he said, adding that investigations were under way.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Sources said a protest rally of Balochistan National Party was also passing through the area when the blast took place that whipped up panic among the participants.

Windows of the Governor House, Chief Minister House, Quetta Press Club, P&T Colony and hundreds of shopping centres and shops on Jinnah Road were shattered by the impact of the blast.

Sources in the Bomb Disposal Squad said more than 200 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast. Following the incident, electricity supply to the area was disrupted due to damages to power pylons.

Earlier in the day, as many as six rockets were also fired in different parts of Quetta city from unknown locations.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Karachi president Dr Arif Alvi, also a candidate for NA-250, accused the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) of hijacking the elections.

“MQM activists were deliberately selected as polling staff so they would not turn up on time and create a shortage of staff,” he alleged. “Ballot boxes and stamps reached stations after three hours,” he said, a view echoed by many voters.

PTI liaison cell head Asad Umar said they had registered over 800 complaints with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a majority of which were regarding rigging by rival parties.

Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and various religious leaders also condemned rigging in various parts of Pakistan.  PML-N spokesperson Senator Pervez Rasheed said the party was planning on compiling a list of complaints that have been filed with the ECP.

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), which announced a boycott of Karachi polls while voting was still ongoing, has called for a shutter-down strike on May 13 to protest the extensive rigging in Karachi and Hyderabad.

The Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh announced three days of mourning over the death of its activists in the Landhi blast but appealed to its activists to remain peaceful.

The MQM, which was accused of rigging by both PTI and JI, also expressed disappointment with the electoral process and decided to boycott the NA-248 Lyari seat.

Earlier in the day, MQM deputy convener Farooq Sattar held a press conference in which he said that rigging was being conducted at his constituency and demanded a re-polling in NA-250, since voting in several polling stations did not start until 3pm.

PTI and PML-N also alleged rigging in parts of the Punjab as well. Polling at NA-125 in Lahore was halted for three hours as PTI voters protested against PML-N candidate Khawaja Saad Rafique for allegedly interfering in the polling process.

Several people at the polling station in DHA said Rafique arrived with as many as 30 supporters and entered into a fight with the election staff at the women’s polling booth.

Meanwhile, Sher Ali Gorchani, a candidate of PML-N for PP 248, was arrested in a joint police and army operation after he tried to flee with ballot papers and ballot boxes. Stamps and 40 ballot papers were recovered as a result of the raid.

According to PTI voters in NA-48, Islamabad, some female supporters of PML-N attempted to physically block PTI voters from moving ahead in the queue.

Dozens of complaints were registered by PTI workers against PML-N workers and polling staff at Rawal Cadet College and Government Girls High School Rahmat Abad polling stations over alleged rigging.

Meanwhile, chief of the Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Talal Akbar Bugti announced a complete boycott of the election, terming it a fraud.

Talking to reporters, he said the elections were neither free nor fair and claimed that the winners were pre-decided.

“We had informed the chief election commissioner, chief justice of Pakistan and Balochistan chief secretary about the planned fraud during the elections,” Bugti said.

Meanwhile, BNP-Awami central secretary general and candidate for PB 42 and 43 Asad Baloch termed the polls in Panjgur a ‘joke’, and demanded a re-election.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2013.