JUI-F challenges Ziaratwal’s opposition leader declaration in BHC

Two-member bench admits constitutional petition of JUI-F’s ex-opposition leader; hearing on March 26

QUETTA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Monday submitted a constitutional petition in the Balochistan High Court (BHC) challenging the declaration of PkMAP’s Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal as new opposition leader of the house.

A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Noor Muskanzai and Justice Zaheeruddin Kakar, admitted the petition and issued a notice to the newly-appointed Advocate General for Balochistan Rauf Atta Advocate to appear before the court on the next hearing on March 26.



Former Balochistan Assembly opposition leader and JUI-F parliamentary leader Maulana Abdul Wasay contended in the petition that how could a person who had enjoyed four and a half years in the coalition government sit on opposition benches and lead them.

Maulana Wasay’s constitutional petition was filed by Kamran Murtaza Advocate and Noor Jan Buledi Advocate.

Political analysts believed that the JUI-F had taken this bold step after appointing their advocate general for Balochistan so that they could have a legal upper hand in challenging Ziaratwal’s nomination as opposition leader.



Balochistan Assembly Speaker Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani had issued a notification declaring Ziaratwal as the opposition leader of the house on March 12.

Being a parliamentary leader from PkMAP in Balochistan’s coalition government, Ziaratwal enjoyed education and information ministries for four and a half years.

After ousting Sanaullah Zehri as the chief minister of Balochistan in January, PkMAP in coalition with the National Party decided to sit on opposition benches.