Magsi and allies have also started consulting other political parties, including the nationalists that boycotted the previous elections.
Deadlock over the caretaker chief minister of Balochistan continued on Wednesday, as Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and opposition leader Nawabzada Tariq Magsi could not agree on a single name.
Raisani and his allies, which include the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl, Awami National Party, Balochistan National Party (Awami) and some independent members, have nominated Jam Kamal Khan, former chief justice Amanullah Yaseenzai and Justice (retd) Ahmed Khan Lashari for the post. Magsi and his allies, which include Pakistan Peoples Party Balochistan chapter president Sadiq Umrani and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid leader Jaffer Khan Mandokhel, have named Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Barozai, Sardar Saleh Bhootani and Hussain Bakhsh Bangulzai in their list of candidates.
Magsi and allies have also started consulting other political parties, including the nationalists that boycotted the previous elections. The National Party has proposed the names of former Supreme Court Bar Association president Ali Ahmed Kurd and former Balochistan Assembly speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani.
PML-N, meanwhile, has expressed reservations against the names proposed by the opposition.
While the meeting between Raisani and Magsi ended in a stalemate, sources suggested that both had showed some interest over the names of Justice Lashari and Sardar Saleh Bhootani.
“These names will be discussed in the next phase and a decision will be made by Thursday,” they told The Express Tribune, adding that the chief minister and opposition have only one day left to decide before the matter is handed to a parliamentary committee.
Same day elections
Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi has signed a summary for holding Balochistan Assembly elections on May 11,2013, the same day as the National Assembly polls.
A notification has been issued in this regard.
Meanwhile, in another notification, the Balochistan government has banned all appointments, transfers and postings in its departments till the general elections are completed. The decision has been made in light of the Election Commission’s February 12 order. According to the notification, any important transfer can only be made by the chief minister after obtaining approval from the provincial election commission.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2013.
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