Political standoff deepened in Balochistan as disgruntled lawmakers of the ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) on Wednesday tabled a no-confidence motion in the provincial assembly, seeking removal of Chief Minister Jam Kamal Alyani.
BAP’s spokesman Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran tabled the no-confidence motion in the provincial assembly.
"We demand Jam Kamal immediately step down from the post of the chief minister," Khetran said.
"Due to his poor governance, the province had to witness hopelessness, disrepute, and unemployment, while the performance of different departments was also adversely affected."
Malik Sikandar Advocate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Balochistan Assembly, said that the post of the chief executive is very important as it requires the incumbent to work tirelessly for the welfare of the province's people.
"The incumbent must also be able to utilise the national exchequer for the welfare of the masses as per a sound strategy. The responsibility of protecting the constitutional and legal rights of the people is also included in the duties of the chief executive," Sikandar said.
"There is no justice in the province and the use of resources is not carried out in a responsible manner. Therefore, Jam Kamal has no right to continue as the chief minister of the province," he added.
Earlier, disgruntled members of the ruling coalition in Balochistan refused to withdraw the no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Jam Kamal, saying no option except “minus Jam Kamal” is acceptable.
BAP members, challenging Jam Kamal's Chief Ministership, have also accused him of horse-trading. In a statement, the BAP spokesman said last week that Jam Kamal had sent him an offer of providing any ministry to his son if he pledges support.
Political uncertainty in Balochistan deepens
Sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that the disgruntled members during a meeting with Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, conveyed the message to the top leadership, especially Prime Minister Imran Khan that they are not going to budge from their stance of ousting the chief minister.
The sources said that Khattak had a meeting with the disgruntled members of the coalition led by acting president of BAP Zahoor Buledi, which was also attended by Speaker Balochistan Assembly Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, and others, in which the deepening political crisis in the province was discussed in detail.
They said that Khattak requested the disgruntled members of the ruling coalition to resolve the matter amicably through talks.
Disgruntled BAP MPAs refuse to withdraw no-trust motion
However, they refused to take back the no-confidence motion against chief minister Kamal.
Last week, BAP’s disgruntled members appointed Zahoor Buledi as the party’s acting president after Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan stepped down as party president amid mounting pressure in the wake of a no-confidence motion moved against him by the estranged party members in the provincial assembly.
Jam meets disgruntled MPAs with a view to foiling no-trust move
However, Kamal later took back his resignation as the party president, which has now virtually divided the party into two factions – one led by him and the other by Buledi.
In his letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Jam Kamal said that the general secretary of the party cannot become interim president when the party already has a president.
Kamal landed in hot waters after 14 lawmakers in the provincial assembly, mostly from his own party and other coalition partners, signed a no-confidence motion against him, which was submitted to the speaker’s office on October 11, 2021.
The Balochistan Assembly has a total of 65 members and as per the Constitution, a no-confidence motion needs the signatures of 20 percent or 13 members.
The no-confidence motion has been signed by 14 members, while 11 more members of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have also assured their support to the disgruntled lawmakers of the ruling alliance.
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