Jamiat-ul-Ulema Islam (JUI-F) has sought the appointment of JUI-F nominee as Balochistan governor and this is being used as a bargaining chip to facilitate the PPP in accommodating the MQM in federal cabinet. Sources told Business Recorder here on Tuesday that some circles in JUI-F are also vying for the slot of Balochistan chief minister.
However, the party's weak representation in the provincial legislature might become a stumbling block in its quest for the coveted slot. A delegation of JUI-F central leadership has already reached Quetta for talks with chief minister and other allies. Parliamentary affairs minister Babar Awan is also there to discuss certain issues with Balochistan leadership.
Sources said that JUI-F delegation and parliamentary affairs minister left Islamabad for Balochistan in a chartered plane. There are certain rumours that Balochistan chief minister is going to be replaced and may be offered the slot of chairman Senate as election of half of senators will be held in February and March.
The present chairman of Senate, Mohammadmian Soomro will retire in March at the end of his six-year term as Senator and Balochistan chief minister, Nawab Aslam Raisani will be given the slot, sources revealed. According to them, the recent visits of Aslam Raisani to Islamabad and his meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari were meant to develop a consensus on the possible changes at the provincial level.
As the Balochistan governor Zulfiqar Magsi has already resigned and continuing as governor on the request of the government, the JUI is keen to have at least one of these slots. However, a leader of the PPP denied that they have readied any plan to replace the Balochistan chief minister. He said that the PPP will not work to destabilise its own government in the largest province. He admitted the JUI wanted some more shares in Balochistan. But nothing has yet been finalised, he added.
There must be some leader from Balochistan who could represent the province at a higher level. But at the same time, he added that it is not necessary to give the slot to Balochistan chief minister. There could be some other leaders from the province. Sources, however, were of the view that PPP-JUI-F joint delegation's current visit is primarily aimed at accommodating the JUI-F in the provincial government so that the PPP go ahead with the inclusion of MQM in the federal cabinet.
Babar Awan heads the government committee on Balochistan. Sources said that the federal minister must not have visited the province along the JUI delegation. The federal government wants to prepare a package for Balochistan and Awan's role must have been of negotiator between the federal government and all Balochistan political parties. He should have avoided the political bickering because he has to play a very crucial role for removing the grievances of the province.
The PPP leader said that the government agenda for Balochistan is still intact. The PPP co-chairman and president Asif Ali Zardari was the first political leader to have tendered his unconditional apology to the people of Balochistan. The present government will do a lot for ending the deprivation of the province, he added.
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