Quetta - The no-trust motion by 14 lawmakers against Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri has brought an upheaval in Balochistan politics.
As a result, Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti and Minister Mir Sarfaraz Domki and Adviser to CM for Social Welfare Princess Ahmed Ali have either resigned or have been ousted from their posts.
Zehri however keeps clinging to the post, claiming support of 47 lawmakers and rejecting the impression of split within the alliance partners.
In the heated atmosphere, both the treasury and opposition benches are bashing each other and exchanging non-parliamentary words.
Though some analysts blame the establishment for the political storm that has hit the PML-N-led four-party coalition regime, most observers however see the internal forces at play in this conflict.
Naseebullah Bazai, the provincial secretary general of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, has said that party membership of the lawmakers, who betrayed the party by signing no-confidence motion, would be suspended and they would be issued show-cause notices.
Following the no-trust motion the other day from the 14 MPAs, including both opposition and treasury members, the Balochistan Assembly has dispatched a proposal to chief minister for convening a session to fulfil the constitutional obligation.
Notices and copies of the no-confidence motion, bearing signature of the assembly official, have also been sent to 65 lawmakers of the assembly, and it is anticipated the voting could take place within a week.
Historically Balochistan has a complicated account of political history which largely swirls around Pashtoon-Baloch nationalistic narratives. The role of religious parties has also increased in the province’s politics since the Cold-War era.
The JUI-F in a meeting has announced backing the no-trust motion against the chief minister. The JUI Provincial Amir Maulana Faiz Muhammad reviewed prospects of success of the motion and decided to fully support it.
Balochistan Assembly Opposition Leader Maulana Abdul Wasay, who is also from the JUI-F, has also summoned a moot of the opposition parties on Friday to review the prevailing situation. It is expected that BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal along other lawmakers of the opposition bench would participate in the meeting.
Speaking at a press conference at Quetta Press Club, PML-N provincial secretary general Naseebullah Bazai said, though the no-trust motion was a democratic practice, the purpose of this move was undemocratic as an effort was being made to derail the democratic government.
Thanking PkMAP chief Mehmood Achakzai and National Party president for backing CM Zehri, he said that they have upheld democratic norms.
Naseebullah also criticised BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal for backing the move to derail a democratic regime.
“We have majority of the lawmakers with us, Quetta Deputy Mayor Mir Younis Baloch said in the conference. He said they have support of 22 members from PML-N, 14 from PkMAP and 10 from the National Party.
Zehri confident of success
Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri chaired a cabinet meeting on Wednesday wherein he told ministers and MPAs that he had support of majority of the lawmakers in the assembly and the no-trust motion against him would fail badly.
Zehri strongly rejected the impression of split within the alliance partners. He thanked the PkMAP and NP for extending their support and said the move against him would only bring humiliation to his detractors. He however said that it was the democratic right of his opponents to file the motion.