Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has appeared as single candidate for the post of chief minister of Balochistan after winning the support of independent candidates, MMA, BNP (A), PML-Q (Ham Khiyal Group) and ANP members for power-sharing and forming a coalition government in the province.
Nawab Aslam Raisani will be the third PPP chief minister, while 13th chief minister of Balochistan after assuming the charge of office the provincial executive head.
Ex-federal minister for frontier regions Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind of PML-Q will be as the only opposition member in Balochistan Assembly after 1977, when Dr Mir Haji Tareen was performing alone the responsibility of the opposition bench in the House.
The public mandate was divided and split in general elections on February 18, which gave way to a hectic political race in Balochistan between PML (Q) and PPP as they had obtained sizeable seats for forming coalition government in the province.
Out of total seats of 51 in the provincial assembly, PML (Q) had secured 16 seats the highest number, followed by PPP and MMA obtained seven seats each, BNP (A) five, ANP one while 10 independent candidates had come in the highest provincial House.
None of these parties had sufficient number of seats to form its government without making alliance other parties. The leaders of PML (Q) and PPP remained busy long to get convinced the smaller parties and independent candidates for forming their own government.
However, finally, PML (Q) was divided over nomination of leadership in the House when its special committee nominated Shaikh Jaffar Mandokhel as leader of the House. Even, the party's high command including Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain Syed visited Quetta for developing consensus among the party members over the parliamentary leadership, but all in vain.
Later, 12 members of PML-Q (Ham Khiyal Group) led by ex-deputy speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhutani announced support to PPP for forming a coalition government at a press conference. Lastly, PML-Q nominee for parliamentary leader Shaikh Jaffar Mandokhel also announced his support to PPP for forming a coalition government in the province.
Now, the PPP has won the support of 61 members out of 65 (51 general seats and 14 reserved seats including three for minorities and 11 for women) in the assembly. Three seats are fallen vacant in the House. One seat PB-44 Lasbella-I has fallen vacant when Jam Muhammad Yousaf preferred to be member of National Assembly when his struggle and dream for regaining the slot of chief minister could not proved to be fruitful.
The second vacant seat PB-9 Pishin fell vacant when winning candidate of the constituency Malik Sarwar Khan Kakar of PML-Q died due to cardiac arrest. The third seat PB-32 Jhal Magsi became vacant when Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi had been appointed as Governor Balochistan on February 27 last.
PROFILE OF NAWAB RAISANI:
Nawab Aslam Raisani is son of late-Nawab Ghaus Bakhsh Raisani who served as governor Balochistan and federal minister. Aslam Raisani was born on July 5, 1955. He got education from Quetta and obtained MA degree in Political Science from University of Balochistan. He was appointed as DSP in police after completion of his education and later resigned from his job.
He became tribal head of his Raisani tribe after death of his father and became Chief of Sarawan. He is also member of supreme council of Baloch Qawmi Jirga. His father became provincial president of PPP in 1972 and he himself joined PPP in 1994.
He was elected as member of Balochistan Assembly in 1988, 1990, 1993 and 2002 and also remained as the provincial senior minister and provincial finance minister. It is for the fifth time he has been elected as member of the House. He has also been serving as president Balochistan Chamber of Agriculture for the last 12 years.
Nawab Aslam Raisani is diligent, sincere and seasoned politician. He has serious personality and has much awareness about the tribal traditions of the province. It is hoped that he would lead the coalition government with dedication and farsightedness. It is also hoped that he would resolve problems of the people sincerely in the province.