Politicking: Shahbaz to lead Quetta confab, thrash out issues
Top provincial post likely to go to Sanaullah Zehri.
File photo of former chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif. PHOTO: AFP
QUETTA:
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahbaz Sharif will begin consultations with party leaders and coalition partners on Sunday in an effort to resolve key political issues, including the nomination of a provincial chief minister.
Shahbaz’s visit to the provincial capital of Balochistan has evoked wide interest in view of the election results and how the PML-N has received a tremendous response from other parties.
Three members of the provincial assembly (MPAs), Sardar Mohammad Salah Bhootani, Sarfaraz Bugti and Jam Kamal, had already joined the PML-N while the Jamote Qaumi Movement, possessing a single seat, had announced the unconditional merger of party with the Nawaz league, raising the strength of the PML-N to 13 seats in Balochistan.
The present position in Balochistan is as follows: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) has 10 seats, National Party has eight, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal has six, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid has four, Baloch National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) possesses two while Awami National Party, Wahdatul Muslimeen and Baloch National Party-Awami have one seat each, with the strength of independents at eight.
Therefore, the PML-N has a clear edge over the other parties with regards to claiming the slot of chief minister.
The prime candidate to date is Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, who is also PML-N’s provincial president. Political pundits are giving added importance to the candidature of Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, a former chief minister and deputy chairman of the Senate since he is experienced and is known for accommodating diverse views.
There are other aspirants, including Dr Abdul Malik, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai and Changez Marri but their chances for the top slot are slim.
BNP-M leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal will not be available in Quetta as he is still busy in overseeing repolling in some of the stations in Jhalawan. He is expected to prefer the role of opposition leader since all others have extended their support to the PML-N and its prime candidate, Sanaullah Zehri.
Mengal is still protesting against alleged poll rigging and result tampering by blocking the main RCD Highway connecting Karachi with Quetta.
It will definitely go to the credit of the Nawaz League, which will form the governments at the Centre and in two provinces - Punjab and Balochistan. Shahbaz Sharif will formally finalise the consultations before making a formal announcement on the slot of chief minister.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2013.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahbaz Sharif will begin consultations with party leaders and coalition partners on Sunday in an effort to resolve key political issues, including the nomination of a provincial chief minister.
Shahbaz’s visit to the provincial capital of Balochistan has evoked wide interest in view of the election results and how the PML-N has received a tremendous response from other parties.
Three members of the provincial assembly (MPAs), Sardar Mohammad Salah Bhootani, Sarfaraz Bugti and Jam Kamal, had already joined the PML-N while the Jamote Qaumi Movement, possessing a single seat, had announced the unconditional merger of party with the Nawaz league, raising the strength of the PML-N to 13 seats in Balochistan.
The present position in Balochistan is as follows: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) has 10 seats, National Party has eight, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal has six, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid has four, Baloch National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) possesses two while Awami National Party, Wahdatul Muslimeen and Baloch National Party-Awami have one seat each, with the strength of independents at eight.
Therefore, the PML-N has a clear edge over the other parties with regards to claiming the slot of chief minister.
The prime candidate to date is Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, who is also PML-N’s provincial president. Political pundits are giving added importance to the candidature of Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, a former chief minister and deputy chairman of the Senate since he is experienced and is known for accommodating diverse views.
There are other aspirants, including Dr Abdul Malik, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai and Changez Marri but their chances for the top slot are slim.
BNP-M leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal will not be available in Quetta as he is still busy in overseeing repolling in some of the stations in Jhalawan. He is expected to prefer the role of opposition leader since all others have extended their support to the PML-N and its prime candidate, Sanaullah Zehri.
Mengal is still protesting against alleged poll rigging and result tampering by blocking the main RCD Highway connecting Karachi with Quetta.
It will definitely go to the credit of the Nawaz League, which will form the governments at the Centre and in two provinces - Punjab and Balochistan. Shahbaz Sharif will formally finalise the consultations before making a formal announcement on the slot of chief minister.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2013.