Provincial top slot: Civil society groups back Abdul Malik Baloch as CM

A petition, co-signed by 172 organisations and individuals along with two consortiums with 220-member organisations, have demanded that Dr Abdul Malik Baloch be made the next chief minister of Balochistan.

The petitioners urged the incoming government to back nationalist parties and choose Dr Malik Baloch for the top slot in the province.

“We request PM-in-waiting Nawaz Sharif not to be swayed by tribal chieftains who themselves are responsible for bringing so much chaos to Balochistan and keep changing parties every day,” the petitioners said in a press release.

To restore peace in Balochistan, they said, it is important to hand over the reins of government to a person who is trustworthy.

The press release added that civil society groups do not support a certain party or individual but their priorities were set on issues. It said that if we keep having the same leaders who “were a major cause of the problem” there will be no breakthrough either in the peace process or on the issue of enforced disappearances.

To resolve the issues in the province, a “strong leader must be chosen from among them”.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2013.