Bid to avert no-trust motion against CM Zehri

PML-N forms committee to woo defectors back


Mohammad Zafar January 04, 2018
Nawab Sanaullah Zehri. PHOTO: NNI

QUETTA: The PML-N-led coalition government in Balochistan faces a serious crisis after its several lawmakers joined the opposition parties for tabling a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri.

The PML-N legislators are among 14 members of the 65-strong Balochistan Assembly who have revolted against their leader in the house, putting their signatures on the motion against the CM.

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To deal with the brewing political crisis in Balochistan, the central PML-N leadership has formed a three-member committee comprising Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq.

The committee members have been instructed to redress the grievances of the defectors and bring them back to the party fold.

However, some annoyed lawmakers are not ready to hold talks with anyone. They told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity that top party leaders had ignored them throughout the assembly tenure.

They maintained that they were well within their democratic right if they wanted to change the leader of the house over his ‘failure to deliver on promises’.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan Assembly Secretariat has formally notified members of the assembly about the impending no-confidence motion against the CM.

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According to officials, the speaker has summoned the assembly on January 9, and the situation will be clear that day.

Meanwhile, the National Party and the PkMAP – the PML-N allies in the Balochistan Assembly – have pledged to support the chief minister, defending his right to completer his constitutional tenure.

Senator Kabir Mohammad Shahi said that it would be undemocratic to dislodge the CM in this manner.

If the no-confidence motion against the CM is passed, the future of both the PML-N allies will be doomed. It will set the scene for either a new coalition government or fresh elections.

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