Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Thursday shattered the dreams of his political rivals by extending support to chief minister Balochistan, saying next chairman Senate should be from the backward province. Speaking at a presser here, he said that his party wants to see the next Senate chairman from Balochistan as it is most neglected province of the country.
"The chief minister Balochistan has the support of PTI's all 13 senators. Now, it's up to him to negotiate with other political parties to get a senator from his province [Balochistan] elected as chairman Senate," he told a presser flanked by some independent senators-elect from Balochistan led by CM Balochistan.
"There is a grave sense of deprivation among people of Balochistan and it is a golden opportunity to lessen that sense by electing next Senate chairman from the province," he added. According to PTI insiders, the chief minister Balochistan has categorically been told that the support of the party is conditional and only limited if the CM negotiates with other opposition parties with a single demand that chairman Senate slot should be given to Balochistan.
In this case, they said that PTI is willing to support any candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for the slot of deputy chairman Senate. They said PTI would be at liberty to withdraw its support in case CM Balochistan agrees to surrender the demand of Senate chairman slot while negotiating with the PPP.
The PTI chief on the occasion said that his party's only objective is to stonewall attempts by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to grab top Senate position for some obvious reasons. To a question if CM Balochistan makes a deal with PPP and agrees to give chairman Senate slot to PPP in return of deputy chairman's slot, Imran said: "With our support, CM Balochistan has an upper hand in terms of numbers on PPP-as Bizenjo enjoys support of 21 senators and PPP 20. Now it's up to him to decide. But, my wish is that they (senators from Balochistan) will manage to get their chairman elected".
To a question if the PML-N nominates Mir Hasil Bazinjo who also hails from Balochistan as Senate chairman, Imran said his party would only support a "blue-blooded" individual from the province. The PTI chief said his efforts are only aimed at hampering PML-N to grab that important position as in that case the PML-N would use the Parliament to enact further person-specific laws intended to protect Nawaz Sharif and his family's corruption.
"PML-N is hell bent upon crippling state institutions. We are concerned if the Senate Chairman is from the PML-N, they may enact a law legalizing corruption for Nawaz Sharif and his family," Khan observed. Khan advised all other political forces that they should also struggle to hinder PML-N to achieve its wish. The PTI chairman also said that to further discuss Senate chairman and deputy chairman elections strategy, he has convened a meeting of the party's core group on Friday (today).
On the occasion, PTI chairman also congratulated Mir Quddus Bizenjo for his election as CM Balochistan and lauded him for the historic in-house change in Balochistan by ousting a CM who was facing charges of corruption and bad performance.
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