File photo of PML-N Sardar Sanaullah Zehri. PHOTO: NNI
With a gaggle of political groups busy in hard bargaining to cobble together a multi-party government in Balochistan, the PML-N is facing difficulties in achieving a leading role in the next provincial setup.
Initially, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) planned to head the coalition government with one of its own members firmly planted as the chief minister, and with the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and the National Party (NP) as junior coalition partners.
However, in a twist, PkMAP has seemingly emerged as the largest parliamentary party after bagging 10 seats in the 51-member provincial assembly, and is not willing to play second fiddle to PML-N, which won 9 seats.
“It is our constitutional right to form a government as we are the largest party in the assembly,” said PkMAP General Secretary Akram Shah. “Nawaz Sharif has already admitted that forming the government is the right of the largest parliamentary party in a province. Thus, keeping this in mind, we should form the Balochistan government.”
Shah emphasized that PML-N should respect PkMAP’s electoral mandate. “We will find other parliamentary parties to achieve our goal if the PML-N refuses to lend us support,” he remarked confidently.
However, PML-N president of the Balochistan chapter, Sanaullah Zehri refuted Shah’s statements and claimed that his own party was the largest parliamentary group in the province.
“Our strength in the assembly is 10-seats strong, as independent candidate, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, has joined PML-N. Furthermore, more independent members of the provincial assembly will join the party in the next few days,” said Santosh Kumar, a spokesperson for Zehri.
“Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen has won a seat and they have agreed to back our candidate for the chief minister position.”
According to high-level sources, PkMAP, the predominantly Pushtun party, is already negotiating with the Baloch nationalist NP, which bagged 7 seats, to form a coalition setup with its own member at the helm as chief minister. However, other sources said that NP chief Dr Abdul Malik is also vying for the chief minister position.
Additionally, NP Central Secretary Tahir Bizenjo was also unwilling to recognize the right of PkMAP to lead the coalition government. He, too, labelled PML-N as being the largest party, pointing out that many independent MPAs-elect have already joined hands with Nawaz.
According to Bizenjo, NP’s central executive committee will decide which group to join for setting up a coalition during a meeting fixed for May 19.
And yet, despite these assertions made by PkMAP and PML-N, PkMAP’s Shah remained firm in his stance. “It is not fair for PML-N to become the bigger party simply by accommodating independents,” he said. “We will not accept such tactics.”
Meanwhile, PkMAP members admitted that although talks are still underway with the PML-N and other parties, there is a general agreement amongst all that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, with 4 seats, will be kept out of the future Balochistan government.
According to the relevant laws, 27 seats are required to form the government in the province. No party has attained that number yet.
Cabinet conundrum
Unlike the previous government, the new government will be unable to offer portfolios to just anyone under the sun. In accordance with the 18th Constitutional Amendment, there can no longer be more than 15 members in Balochistan’s cabinet.
This amendment, passed during the Pakistan Peoples Party’s last tenure but not implemented, fixed the size of the Cabinet to 12% of the strength of the provincial assembly.
The Balochistan Assembly has 65 members, with 51 of them directly elected. It is expected that the number of Cabinet ministers will not exceed 9, and the number of advisers will not go beyond 6.
With this rule in place, the new chief minister, unlike his predecessor, Nawab Raisani, will be unable to oblige individuals – instead, parties in the coalition government will be asked to nominate members for the cabinet.
According to sources, this arrangement is bound to create resentment amongst the newly-elected members.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2013.
COMMENTS (10)
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Fun fact. There has never been a Pashtun Chief Minister in Balochistan (1972 - today); this is why the British merged one separate territory with another. So that people would fight amongst themselves. How they must be enjoying this! :( However, having said that, I like Mr. Achakzai and I think his party should be given a chance. He's arguably the most upright and respected politician in Pakistan right now. I have had the pleasure of meeting him and you can't help but be taken aback by his personality and charisma. We're seeing something new in KPK, where the PTI has been given the chance to rule. Similarly I think it would speak volumes on how much we have matured as a nation if the PkMAP were allowed to rule. That would completely restore my faith in the political process and civilian government.
I totally agree with the assertion that there is hardly any difference between the ex-chief minister Raisani and Sardar Sanaullah Zehri. Both are two different sides of the same coin. If real representation is to be giiven to the people of Balochistan, it's the right of Pakhtun and Baloch nationalists to form the government. Pakhtun nationalists being the largest party in the provincial assembly should be given the right to form government with Baloch nationalists. This will help the cause of Nawaz Sharif who wants to resolve the issue of Balochistan. Baloch nationalists should not oppose Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party to nominate their own chief minister. If Pakhtun nationalists are pushed to the wall and not let form their government, they will emerge even a bigger force to reckon with as their support among the Pakhtuns will increase tremendously. In this scenario, Balochs will be the losers, not Pakhtuns.
Baloch Nationalists have won almost 12 seats. (Includes BNP, NP), even independent contestants are also by major are Ethnic Baloch influencials.
They can form a majority and offer to set up a government.
However, for larger interest of people all parties should give up their personal interest and think in larger interest. JUI (F) should keep out of gain changing party. Lets give Baloch Nationalists & PkMAP due right to form government along with PML (N).
It will benefit all.
With Sana Ullah Zehri's nomination as CM, the entire exercise of elections has taken us back to the Raisaini's period. Both have number of commonalities. A sigh of relief was taken by people of Balochistan, when Raisani Government was removed. Alas soon we are going to witness War Lords riding in their double cab wagons with gun totting tribal militias. Soon there will be sense of insecurity. Soon the LEAs would become subservient to the private armies. The violence of Tribal democracy will once again expose urban populace to nuisance of harassment. Pray to God that He in his infinite mercy turn our days for better. Ameen
I am glad to see the politics is still alive in Balochistan, I would support PkMAP or NP whoever gets the CMship. We know that they made a huge mistake of boycotting last elections and our people had to see the worse 5 years, we are pretty optimistic that this time the Nationalists government coalition will help and try to solve some problems of Balochistan. PkMAP has a good stand against killings of Settlers while NP has their stance against missing persons, we hope that both join hands and govern Balochistan in a friendly way.
Being the largest party in Balochistan, this time PKMAP may be given an opportunity to lead the government.
PML-N had set a positive tone by letting PTI form its government in KPK courtesy its highest mendate. Now, it also expected of Nawaz Sharif to appreciate the mendate of local Balouchs andlet them lead their provincial government.
I think PML-N should go in to the alliance with PkMAP and let PkMAP to nominate its own CM. As PkMAP has emerge the largest party in Baluchistan.
Balushistan should be a case study at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. These politicians from Baluchistan love being mInisters.they have not heard of "good governance"
It never changes for Baluchistan...Sigh!!!