Competing partners: PML-N, PkMAP eye Quetta mayor seat
Provincial leaders of both parties declare majority in metropolitan corporation district.
Provincial leaders of both parties declare majority in metropolitan corporation district. PHOTO: FILE
QUETTA:
Coalition partners in Balochistan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, seem to be in a tug of war as both of them jostle for the position of city mayor.
PML-N and PkMAP, as coalition partners, have been supporting each other in some districts, but in Quetta they could not reach a seat-adjustment solution. As people await the official announcement of results, prominent provincial leaders of both the parties have made statements, pre-emptively declaring majority in Quetta metropolitan district.
The former city nazim and PML-N’s expected candidate for mayor, Rahim Kakar, claimed that he had the support of at least 34 candidates, including Independents, out of 58 seats of Quetta Metropolitan Corporation.
“We want to get our candidates elected for the positions of mayor and deputy mayor,” Rahim told The Express Tribune.
PML-N, despite having a majority in the province, supported the National Party (NP) and PkMAP in forming the government in Balochistan. But in the local bodies’ polls, the PML-N district leadership wants to withhold key positions in Quetta.
According to unofficial results, PML-N bagged a meagre seven seats in the Metropolitan Corporation, Quetta, out of 58 seats. PkMAP has clinched 19 seats while independent candidates acquired 18.
“We have the support of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Independents,” Rahim said. “PML-N is open to the negotiation.”
PML-N Quetta’s leadership says Quetta belongs to several ethnic groups, including the Baloch, the Hazara and the Pashtun, among others. PkMAP is a Pashtun nationalist party which is why it will not be appropriate to give all the power to a particular ethnic group. “We were open to negotiation but now it is the time for NP and PkMAP to support us,” Rahim maintained.
On the other hand, PkMAP provincial president Usman Kakar said his party has a total of 24 candidates and efforts are under way to get the support of other parties and Independents.
“The party has established a clear majority in Quetta with 19 seats while two independent candidates have joined the party. The mayor and deputy mayor will be elected from our party,” he told reporters, adding that PkMAP will contact all the political parties for their support. He claimed that some candidates have submitted applications about an error in results. “After the official announcement of the results, PKMAP shall establish a clear majority in Quetta.”
Usman believes Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will support PkMAP as it has established a clear majority in Quetta.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2013.
Coalition partners in Balochistan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, seem to be in a tug of war as both of them jostle for the position of city mayor.
PML-N and PkMAP, as coalition partners, have been supporting each other in some districts, but in Quetta they could not reach a seat-adjustment solution. As people await the official announcement of results, prominent provincial leaders of both the parties have made statements, pre-emptively declaring majority in Quetta metropolitan district.
The former city nazim and PML-N’s expected candidate for mayor, Rahim Kakar, claimed that he had the support of at least 34 candidates, including Independents, out of 58 seats of Quetta Metropolitan Corporation.
“We want to get our candidates elected for the positions of mayor and deputy mayor,” Rahim told The Express Tribune.
PML-N, despite having a majority in the province, supported the National Party (NP) and PkMAP in forming the government in Balochistan. But in the local bodies’ polls, the PML-N district leadership wants to withhold key positions in Quetta.
According to unofficial results, PML-N bagged a meagre seven seats in the Metropolitan Corporation, Quetta, out of 58 seats. PkMAP has clinched 19 seats while independent candidates acquired 18.
“We have the support of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Independents,” Rahim said. “PML-N is open to the negotiation.”
PML-N Quetta’s leadership says Quetta belongs to several ethnic groups, including the Baloch, the Hazara and the Pashtun, among others. PkMAP is a Pashtun nationalist party which is why it will not be appropriate to give all the power to a particular ethnic group. “We were open to negotiation but now it is the time for NP and PkMAP to support us,” Rahim maintained.
On the other hand, PkMAP provincial president Usman Kakar said his party has a total of 24 candidates and efforts are under way to get the support of other parties and Independents.
“The party has established a clear majority in Quetta with 19 seats while two independent candidates have joined the party. The mayor and deputy mayor will be elected from our party,” he told reporters, adding that PkMAP will contact all the political parties for their support. He claimed that some candidates have submitted applications about an error in results. “After the official announcement of the results, PKMAP shall establish a clear majority in Quetta.”
Usman believes Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will support PkMAP as it has established a clear majority in Quetta.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2013.