Sanaullah Zehri nominated as next Balochistan chief minister

Announcement comes after PML-N Balochistan president met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s party head in Balochistan, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, will replace Dr Abdul Malik Baloch as the provincial chief minister after the approval of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

"Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced Zehri as the next Chief Minister of Balochistan," Radio Pakistan said.

The announcement comes after a meeting between PML-N Balochistan president and the prime minister in Islamabad, consultation with allies, and in the light of the Murree declaration among ruling coalition in Balochistan.



Dr Baloch has completed 2.5 years as provincial chief minister earlier this month, and will step down from the post.

Earlier, sources in the PML-N said the prime minister was reluctant to nominate Zehri, and was unable to decide his replacement while considering options including letting Dr Baloch continue in the office.



The three coalition partners, PML-N, National Party (NP) and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), had decided to break up the tenure of the provincial chief minister into shorter but equal periods of time after the 2013 general elections.



The three parties also decided both the NP and PML-N candidates would divide the five-year tenure among themselves, according to the 2013 Murree deal that had broken the deadlock over government formation.

An MoU was signed by Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and Zehri on behalf of their respective parties.