Mehmood Khan Achakzai (L) and Abdul Qadir Baloch (R). PHOTO: AGENCIES
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has shortlisted the names of two senior politicians from Balochistan – Abdul Qadir Baloch and Mehmood Khan Achakzai – for the coveted slot of speaker National Assembly. The party’s high-powered committee will make a final decision today (Wednesday), sources told The Express Tribune.
One of PML-N’s two subcommittees, led by Ayaz Sadiq, will be travelling to Balochistan today, where it will make the decision. The other subcommittee, led by Rana Mashhood, will return to Lahore today after a successful trip to Sindh.
The two committees have been tasked to hold talks with political parties in the two provinces as well as independent lawmakers-elect over the possibility of forming coalition governments either in the Centre or in the provinces.
Ayaz Sadiq and Iqbal Zafar Jhagra will hold final meetings with Baloch nationalists and heads of various political parties, in this regard.
According to sources, PML-N’s choice for NA speaker is linked to its chances at forming a government in Balochistan: If Nawaz’s party awards the portfolio of NA speaker to Achakzai, the PML-N would, in turn, be able to claim the post of chief minister Balochistan, which the party plans to hand to Sardar Sanaullah Khan Zehri.
PML-N’s senior leadership, however, has advised Nawaz to pick Baloch as the speaker considering he is a party loyalist, and to keep Achakzai as the second option.
In the Balochistan Assembly, there are a total of 65 seats – 51 general seats, 11 women seats and three for non-Muslim members. Thirty-three seats are required to form a government.
According to statistics, the PML-N and the PkMAP secured nine seats each while National Party claimed seven, from Balochistan.
While talking with The Express Tribune, Zehri said that with four seats for women and one minority seat, the PML-N has a total of 15 MPAs – the same number as the MPAs in PkMAP. He added that NP is also willing to join their coalition, through which they would easily form a government in Balochistan.
Commenting on the expected portfolio of NA speaker, he said both Baloch and Achakzai have a good reputation.
Achakzai, on the other hand, told The Express Tribune that he was not aware of any such development, and would be able to comment on the matter when he meets PML-N officials.
Sindh
Meanwhile, according to sources, the PML-N has finalised matters with the PML-F, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, and the National Peoples Party and has also struck deals with its own members in Sindh. PML-F’s Pir Pagara will hold a final meeting with Nawaz Sharif within three days in Raiwind. According to details, Pagara’s meeting will be followed by a meeting of other party chiefs in Sindh. All heads will finalise their deals with Nawaz and give him the go-ahead in the Centre.
PML-N’s committee has devised a development package for Sindh, and its allied parties presented a list of their proposed development projects which the PML-N government will have to fulfill. Apart from this, the composition of the federal cabinet, chairmen of various committees in the National Assembly and other portfolios were also discussed.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2013.
COMMENTS (14)
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To pitch a politician against a soldier is not a good step.Regardless how good is Gen(r)Abdul Qadir,this amounts to making him controversial in one way or the other.
Sensible attempt!
@amjad khattak: I'd like to see Achakzai in a leadership capacity. I admire him very much. Brave, tough and righteous. I hope he's in a place where he can strengthen Pakhtoons. I'm not Pakhtoon, but I consider them my brothers and I respect them very much like all Pakistanis. :)
i think achakzai saheb will not accept this trick. its a trick to silent the voice of pashtuns. PKMAP should have the cm of balochistan. speaker of NA is a honor, but its a post where a genius person like himself would have to keep quite. so don't want that. we want him to protest the atrocities committed against pashtuns.
In my view Mahood khan Achakzai is strong and suitable contender for this post. He should be acceptable in all quarters. A good human being, nice and mature politician. God bless him
Good thinking. Mahmood Khan Achakzai is a better choice for me. Bold and mature politician. Am not aware of any financial allegations on him either.
Achackzai is the excellent person for the post of speaker, Qadir is also a nice person but we should not elect any army man as a speaker.
While Mehmood Khan Achackzai will make an excellent speaker, we will all lose out on not being able to hear his speeches on the floor of the house. He is brilliant when he speaks and he always speaks the truth.
Who else but Mr. ACHAKZAI.
dear leaders, anybody who works sincerely will get the reward from ALLAH, whether he loses or wins in elections. so dear leaders, if you work again sincerely for people , they will love you. ON TOP OF THAT ALLAH WILL LOVE YOU. so go on working for ALLAHS PEOPLE selflessly , ALLAH will do good to you whether you feel that allahs favour or not. PLEASE BE TOLERANT AND THINK HOW TO BETTER THE FUTURE OF THE GREAT NATION PAKISTAN. PLEASE do not think on party lines but on national lines.
Gen Qadir Baloch will make a good Minister Interior as he is well versed with the problems of Balochistan, Afghan Refugees and Terrorism. He will handle Para Military Forces professionally & improve the performance of Law enforcing agencies. Mehmud Khan Achakzai will make a good impartial speaker, which is the prerequisite of the office and can maintain decorum of the Parliament
Mature thinking of PML-N
If Mr. Abdul Qadir Baloch is going to be the Speaker of the National Assebly, he will be the first Retired Army General to become the Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan.
Abdul Qadir Baloch is certainly the better choice for the high profile role. He is articulate, statemanly and certainly committed to democracy - he resigned as Governor Balochistan in protest of Musharraff's policies in the province and before that he was competent soldier and administrator.