Quetta - As the day of decision about future of Balochistan government is approaching near, political frenzy and speculations about the situation have intensified.

Balochistan Assembly is set to take up the no-confidence motion filed against Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri on January 9, when the lawmakers would decide the fate of the PML-N led four-party coalition government.

Another minister, Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail of PML-Q, has announced to resign upon his return from Saudi Arabia, according to his spokesperson. But he is likely to miss voting in assembly as he is scheduled to return on Jan 10.

With Jaffar’s resignation the number ministers and advisers who have quit their slots would mount to six. Earlier, Sarfaraz Bugti, Sarfaraz Domki, Rahat Jamali, Prince Ahmed Ali and Notezai have resigned from their posts.

A PML-N central leaders’ delegation on Sunday met with Zehri while Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was also likely to go there today or tomorrow to meet and convince provincial lawmakers to support the CM.

Zehri also phoned PM Abbasi and former primer Nawaz Sharif, requesting them to rescue him, though earlier he has been expressing confidence of his victory – claiming support of more than 40 lawmakers.

Abbasi also contacted Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Fazlur Rehman for help in Balochistan but the latter did not give any positive response, according to sources.

The leaders of opposition parties – JUI-F, Awami National Party (ANP) and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) – have convened a joint meeting to review the prevailing political situation.

Balochistan has been a land of political oddities and uncertainty where it is difficult to clearly differentiate between friends and foes.

Interestingly, the four-party coalition government that survived for four and a half years included PML-Q – a party that is at loggerheads with the PML-N at centre and which is now leading rebellion against Zehri.

On the other hand, JUI-F of Fazlur Rehman, which is an ally of the PML-N at federal level, has been in opposition in Balochistan.

Zehri not only faces threat from opposition lawmakers and former ally PML-Q but also from some members of his own party – PML-N – who have rebelled against him.

“It [no-confidence motion] is a conspiracy to halt the upcoming Senate elections,” Nawaz told Zehri during their phone conversation.

The chief minister reportedly informed the PML-N president about the number of lawmakers that he believed were still with him, and he sought intervention of Nawaz Sharif, who said the party would not accept any undemocratic move aimed at preventing the Senate polls.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday said that federal government was least bothered about what was happening in Balochistan. He also doubted Nawaz Sharif’s intentions about continuity of the democratic process.

In a tweet, he alleged that it seemed that Mian Nawaz Sharif did not really want the government to complete its term. He also said that not a single federal minister had gone there to set the things right.

But Bilawal proved wrong as Federal Defence Minister Khuram Dastagir, Safron Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch and Senator Yaqoob Khan Nasar met with Chief Minister Zehri to assess the number game and ponder over the ways to ensure CM’s victory in tomorrow’s vote.

Mehmood Khan Achakzai, chief of allied party PkMAP, also accompanied the PML-N central leaders delegation. Achakzai told them that his party as well as the National Party firmly stand with the PML-N and he expressed confidence of defeating the no-trust move.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday asked Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Fazlur Rehman for help regarding the no-confidence motion against Zehri, according to sources.

Fazl however expressed his wonder that why the PML-N was asking him for help when their coalition has already ruled Balochistan for four and a half years without the JUI-F.

He complained that PML-N itself had pushed JUI-F towards opposition benches in the province, and he advised the premier to resolve the issues of his own party members first.

 

 

 

Separately, country’s top business tycoon Malik Riaz called on Nawaz Sharif at his Jati Umra residence. No details of discussion between the two were made available to the media, though some observers speculated that the visit might have something to do with Balochistan situation.

 

 

Balochistan bubbles as vote day draws near

 

Sharif Khan/agencies