Two more take oath as provincial ministers

CM Kamal continues to increase cabinet size despite BAP-PTI rifts

QUETTA: Abdul Rehman Kethran of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Asadaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) on Saturday took oath as provincial ministers. Acting Governor Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo administered the oath at the Governor House, Quetta.

Moreover, three more advisers to CM have also been appointed, including Hazara Democratic Party’s (HDP) Abdul Khaliq Hazara, Awami National Party’s (ANP), Malik Naeem Bazai and Mir Abdul Rind of BAP.



The provincial cabinet’s strength has reached a total of 13 ministers after the induction of Kethran and Baloch, who had respectively contested from PB-08 Bharkan and PB-43 Panjgore to become members of provincial assembly in the July 25 elections.

And the total number of advisers to CM has jumped to four with the three new appointments.

The new inductions into the cabinet of Chief Minister Jam Kamal came despite the rifts between BAP and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

PTI Balochistan President Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind had declare on Friday that the PTI Balochistan could not work as a B-team of BAP in the province.

Rind had said he would share his reservations with Prime Minister Imran Khan. He had flown to Islamabad on Saturday to meet Khan, announcing that he would inform him that the PTI’s elected members in Balochistan had joined the cabinet without informing the provincial leadership.



PTI’s MPA form Kohlu Mir Naseebullah has been inducted into the provincial cabinet and given health department’s portfolio while Sardar Babar Musakhail is serving as deputy speaker.

According to analysts, the differences between the PTI and BAP will grow further as Rind seems in no mood to accept BAP’s ‘supremacy’ in Balochistan.