Rifts emerge in PTI Balochistan chapter over Imran’s call

Disgruntled Rind claims to enjoy support of 4 of 7 PTI lawmakers

QUETTA:

Rifts emerged in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Balochistan chapter over the issue of en masse resgnations from the provincial assembly as the party appeared to be divided into two factions – one led by Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, the ex-provincial party chief, and the other by former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri.

On Saturday during the long march gathering in Rawalpindi, PTI chief Imran Khan had called for quitting the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assemblies – its strongholds –in a bid to compel the federal government to call snap polls.

Rind claims to enjoy the support of four out of a total of seven lawmakers in the Balochistan Assembly.

Currently, PTI Balochistan chief Qasim Suri is less influential regarding the seven party lawmakers except for Mobeen Khilji and Naseebullah Marri, the party's provincial ministers in the Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo-led coalition government.

"We have yet to make a decision about tendering resignations from the assembly," Rind told reporters in Quetta.

However, Naseebullah Marri, the PTI lawmaker and the Balochistan education minister, said the lawmakers would quit the assembly after the announcement of the party chief.

"We will not practice any delay if the party chief asks for resignations," Marri said.