Zardari woos Baloch leaders for senate support

Balochistan CM, Cabinet members may join PPP ahead of general elections

KARACHI: Top Pakistan Peoples Party leaders and newly-elected Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo met at CM House on Thursday to discuss the upcoming senate elections.

Though it was a reception hosted by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in honor of his counterpart and his cabinet members, almost all PPP lawmakers attended the event and turned it into a strategy meeting for the upcoming senate elections. Photos issued by chief minister house clearly showed Zardari chairing a meeting in the presence of both chief ministers.

Sources privy to development told The Express Tribune that the senate elections were discussed and Bizenjo had assured that his members in the provincial assembly will support PPP candidates in the election.



"PPP will see 18 senators retiring in March this year, leaving behind only eight members in the upper house, so the leadership is trying to gain as many seats as it can with the help of the Balochistan Assembly, where the party has no representation," a senior PPP leader who was present at the meeting told The Express Tribune.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, leader of the opposition Aitzaz Ahsan, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Sardar Fateh Mohammed Hassani, Taj Haider, Farhatullah Babar, Dr Kareem Khawaja, Ajiz Dhamrah, Saifullah Magsi, Rozi Khan Kakar, Rubina Khalid and Mohammad Yousaf are among the PPP senators whose tenures will end in March. "Zardari has tasked Balochistan CM to negotiate with coalition partners and other party members to support PPP candidates for the senate.  If so, the PPP will be the first party to get members elected from Balochistan without even having a single member in the house," the PPP leader proudly said.

Other sources said, "The Balochistan chief minister and other members in the meeting are likely to join the PPP before the upcoming general elections.  You can say that Zardari, who chaired a meeting in the presence of two chief ministers, has already won a mandate from two assemblies."

The Balochistan CM had thanked former president Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, and Sindh Chief Minister Shah for welcoming the democratic change in the Balochistan government and also for congratulating him and his cabinet members when they took their new oaths.

“You are politically sagacious and a true democratic leader who knows the art of keeping democracy on the right track, whatever the situation,” he said to Zardari.

The chief minister also appreciated Sindh Industries Minister Manzoor Hussain Wassan for seeing a true dream of change in Balochistan.

Balochistan cabinet members including Sardar Mohamad Saleh Bhootani, Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, Minister for Communication Mir Asim Kurd, Izhar Hussain Khoso, Minister for Minerals Mir Akbar Askani, Minister Revenue Manzoor Kakar, Minister for Services Amir Rind, Zamruk Khan, Minister for Local government Ghulam Dastagir Badini, Minister for Health Majid Abro, Minister for Education Tahir Mahmood, Mohammad Khan Lahri and others.

Zardari said that the change in Balochistan through a democratic process was the manifestation of political maturity of the people of Balochistan and their elected representatives.



“I congratulate the chief minister and his cabinet and also congratulate the people of Balochistan for supporting democratic system,” he said.

The former president said that it has been the tradition of PPP to support the rights of people of smaller province. He said that the province of Balochistan is rich in mineral resources. The people of Balochistan are sensible, politically awakened and are keen to reap the fruits of democracy. “We have to work together for the prosperity of Balochistan and its people,” he added.

Sindh Chief Minister said Karachi has the honour of being the second home of the people of Balochistan. “Most of your leaders, tribal heads, bureaucrats, agriculturists, educationists and others have homes in other districts of Sindh as well,” he said, adding, “The people of Sindh have always stood with their Baloch brothers through thick and thin.” At this, Zardari said that Baloch leaders live in Sindh and do politics in Balochistan. “They are like our family members,” he added.