Two interim Balochistan ministers resign

Governor accepts resignations of Nawabzada Jamal Raisani, Umair Muhammad Hassani

QUETTA:

Balochistan Governor Malik Abdul Wali Kakar on Saturday accepted the resignations of two caretaker provincial ministers Nawabzada Jamal Raisani and Umair Muhammad Hassani.

These resignations came a day after Sarfraz Bugti, the caretaker federal interior minister, tendered his resignation. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar accepted Bugti’s resignation.

The caretaker ministers resigned after the landmark Supreme Court judgment regarding the Feb 8 general elections.

Raisani was serving as interim minister for sports and youth affairs and Hassani as the caretaker minister for mines and minerals.

“The governor has accepted the resignations of both the ministers,” a well-placed source in the Governor House confirmed to The Express Tribune.

He requested anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Read Bugti ‘steps down’ as interim interior minister

The two young caretaker provincial ministers decided to contest elections in the fast-approaching general elections and as a result, they resigned from their posts.

Raisani has already joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He is expected to contest elections from Mastung on the PPP’s ticket.

Hassani has not made any announcement about his political party. He is the son of Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani, one of the central leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Hassani is likely to contest on the PML-N’s ticket from Balochistan’s Chaghi district.

Bugti has yet to announce joining any political party. However, sources close to him said that Bugti was in talks with the PML-N, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and PPP.

Bugti is likely to announce his political decision within the next couple of days.

He is going to contest elections from Dera Bugti and he is considered to be one of the potential candidates for the slot of chief minister, in case he wins the elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2023.