QUETTA - Before the issue of nominating caretaker chief minister could skid to Parliamentary Committee, Balochistan government and opposition nominated Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Barozai as consensus interim CM of the province on Thursday.
Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and Opposition Leader Nawabzada Tariq Magsi held a long meeting to evolve consensus and ultimately came up with the name of Nawab Barozai as interim chief minister.
CM Nawab and Opposition Leader Nawabzada announced the name of caretaker Nawab at a press conference held at CM Secretariat, flanked by parliamentary leaders of different parties.
“In the context of 1973 Constitution, we held consultation with Opposition Leader and fulfilled all constitutional requirements,” Nawab Raisani said. He said that the political leadership demonstrated maturity and nominated an ‘impartial’ caretaker chief minister. “This is a wrong impression that the leadership of Balochistan cannot be united,” he remarked.
Responding to a question, Raisani said they had been asserting that the resources of Balochistan should be spent on the people of the province. Gwadar Port should have rested with government of Balochistan so that the people of the province could get benefit from it but the port was handed over to China, he regretted.
Raisani underlined that Balochistan should get gas royalty from Pak-Iran gas pipeline. To another query, he said they would make consultation on interim cabinet. “The cabinet will be in accordance to the area of Balochistan,” he gave the ambiguous remark with a weird simile on his face.
Nawabzada Tariq Magsi said they had been consulting over the caretaker chief minister for past some time and Chief Minister Raisani helped the process a lot by showing flexibility. He said that they would continue cooperating with the government.
JUI-F leader and former provincial Senior Minister Abdul Wasay said they and Magsi strengthened the democratic process. He said the JUI-F would withdraw the petition submitted in the apex court against restoration of Magsi as opposition leader.
Nawab Barozai belongs to a political family of Sibi district. His father, Nawab Muhammad Khan Barozai was a former chief minister and speaker of Balochistan Assembly in 1970s. Nawab Ghous Barozai also remained a part of interim set up in 2007.