QUETTA: Speaker Balochistan Assembly Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo resigned from his post on Monday so that he could contest election for the Leader of the House following the resignation of Jam Kamal as Chief Minister of the province. With Kamal's resignation, the provincial cabinet has also been dissolved. Bizenjo has sent his resignation to the provincial governor.

Meanwhile, Bizenjo had emerged as a strong contender for the position of Chief Minister since he enjoyed the support not only of members of the coalition government but also of the opposition, sources told. Balochistan Assembly will elect the new CM on Thursday (October 28, 2021). Jan Jamali, on the other hand, was a strong candidate for the slot of provincial assembly speaker, sources added.

Member of Balochistan Assembly Sardar Abdur Rehman Khetran on Monday accused former Chief Minister Jam Kamal of horse trading. Speaking on the floor of the House, he said that Kamal had offered him Rs200 million to buy his loyalty. "And when I refused to take money, he started hurling threats at me," he alleged, adding intimidation was used as a ploy to quell a democratic movement.

He said Balochistan's dark times were over. "We will introduce a new system for the bright future of our province," he vowed.

He said that members of the opposition had also been elected by the masses. "We who are sitting on the treasury benches are not the only ones who are chosen ones," he said, and added, "The treatment meted out to the opposition in the post-budget session was regrettable." Khetran expressed the hope that Abdul Quddus Bizenjo would soon be elected as Leader of the House.