QUETTA - Split in the Balochistan coalition regime emerged as 14 MPAs of the ruling and opposition parties tabled no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri in the assembly secretariat yesterday.
The no-confidence motion moved in the Balochistan Assembly Secretariat against Zehri has been signed by 14 lawmakers from various political parties, sources said.
Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti also sent his resignation to the governor house.
Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri sent advice to Balochistan Governor for accepting Mir Sarfraz Bugti’s resignation and removing him from the slot of provincial home minister.
According to DGPR, after home minister’s resignation, the chief minister forwarded his advice to the governor for immediate action.
The no-trust motion was signed by Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, Abdul Karim Nosherwani, Mir Khalid Langov, Mir Amanulah Notezai, Nawabzada Tariq Magsi, Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal, Mir Hakmal Kalmati, Syed Raza Agha, Khalil Rehman Dumar, Abdul Malik Kakar, Zmarak Khan Achakzai, and female lawmakers Ruqia Hashmi, Shaida Rauf and Hassan Bano.
Former Balochistan Assembly deputy speaker Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, talking to the media persons after tabling the no-confidence motion, alleged that funds’ distribution and procedure of its use in Balochistan was inappropriate.
“We did not want to participate in the budget session, but attended it due to the CM’s assurance to remove our grievances, but he failed to address our reservations,” said Quddus Bizenjo. He requested Balochistan Assembly Speaker Raheela Hamid Durrani to convene the session as early as possible for voting on the no-trust move.
On the other hand, the chief minister also called a meeting of the coalition partners to take them into confidence about the situation arising out of the no-confidence motion.
As the political temperature neared boiling point, National Party leader and ex-chief minister Dr Malik Baloch and PkMAP Parliamentary Leader Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal arrived in Quetta.
It has also been learnt that the opposition parties have also called a meeting to plan a strategy for the success of the no-confidence motion.
The situation has become complicated as no political party has simple majority in the 65-member Balochistan Assembly. Fifty-three of the 65 lawmakers are part of the government.
The ruling PML-N has the largest strength of 23 members followed by PkMAP with 14 legislators, NP 10, JUI-F eight, PML-Q five, BNP-M two, Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen one and ANP one.
Both the ruling and opposition benches have claimed support of majority of the lawmakers. PkMAP Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and National Party President Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo have supported Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, vowing to foil the no-trust motion.
In a statement, Hasil Bizeno announced NP would not become part of the motion and claimed no minister of the provincial cabinet would resign. He made it clear that Khalid Langov had not signed the no-trust move. Bizenjo added all the lawmakers of NP and PkMAP were with Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri.
In the no-trust motion, the provincial lawmakers mentioned that the resolution is being moved as per “Article 136 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, for a vote of no confidence against the Chief Minister, Government of Balochistan.”
The Article 136 (1) of the Constitution reads: “A resolution for a vote of no-confidence moved by not less than twenty per centum of the total membership of the Provincial Assembly may be passed against the Chief Minister by the Provincial Assembly.
Political observers in the provincial capital have been speaking of differences in the provincial government for quite some time as several provincial lawmakers are not happy with the way of working of Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri.