PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The coalition government in Balochistan is likely to remain unformed until Nawaz Sharif takes oath as prime minister, a well-placed source in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said.
The ongoing deadlock over the joint selection of a suitable candidate as the next provincial chief minister is the main sticking point between PML-N and its junior partners Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and the National Party.
Though the latter two have not directly opposed PML-N’s Balochistan chapter president Sardar Sanaullah Zehri bid for the post, they have specifically told Nawaz’s party officials that those leaders ‘known for their corrupt practices should not be nominated as the future chief minister’.
Zehri is aware that he is being opposed by PkMAP and NP but has been able to win the backing of those MPAs who were elected as independent candidates and joined the PML-N with his persuasion.
Santosh Kumar, a spokesman for Zehri, said he is not willing to withdraw his name as the next chief minister. Zehri is very much in the field, according to Kumar.
PkMAP and NP had proposed NP chief Dr Abdul Malik Baloch as the new chief minister, but Nawaz is likely to make the final decision.
“I have told Nawaz Sharif that PkMAP and NP recommended me as the next chief minister, but we will accept his decision whole heartedly in case Nawaz takes a decision against our wishes,’’ Baloch said.
NP central secretary general Tahir Bizenjo revealed that party leaders along with PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai have asked Nawaz to decide on the matter.
“PkMAP and NP leaders have asked Nawaz that he will have to choose whether he wants to maintain the status quo in Balochistan or is keen to resolve the conflict in the province,” Bizenjo stated. Malik, as far as Bizenjo is concerned, is the only person who can resolve the conflict.
Meanwhile, the prime minister-elect has also consulted Sardar Akhtar Mengal, chief of his own faction of Balochistan National Party on the formation of the future government in his province. Confirming the development, BNP-M vice president Sajid Tareen refused to share details of the talks Mengal had with Nawaz.
The BNP-M had recently made it clear that it was not supporting Baloch’s candidacy as the next chief minister.
A senior BNP-M leader told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity that Nawabzada Jangayz Marri, the elder son of top separatist Baloch leader Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, could be acceptable to his party as the next chief minister of Balochistan.
“Jangayz Marri can play a positive role towards bringing peace to Balochistan.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2013.
COMMENTS (3)
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@Pakistan: Apart from the fact that the agencies would traditionally want nawab or Sardars, there is another problem attached to the two gentlemen. They are corrupt. Dr. Malik Baloch can deliver while the two Baloch chieftains, Zehri and Marri cannot. This whole episode shows that Mr. Nawa Sharif is totally out of tune with Balochistan. Dr. Malik Baloch is very clearly the best choice in every respect but Nawaz Sharif by taking longer time to decide seems to be not in favor of Mr. Baloch. I bet Mr. Sharif would suffer a lot if he chooses either of the teo gentlemen--Zehri or Marri. Let us see what happenes?
Zardari Nizam went in center, let Sardari Nizam also go in this province.
Obviously the agencies favour a Nawab/Sardar's over an ordinary educated Baloch from the province. Hence the argument that Baloch Sardar's have not done anything for Baloch people. They will never or neither an oridnary Baloch will be able to.