Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Sunday nominated Dr Abdul Malik Baloch of National Party (NP) as the candidate for Chief Minister of Balochistan, besides bestowing the lucrative post of governorship upon Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP). This was agreed during a meeting with Baloch and Pashtoon leadership of the province in Murree presided over by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif which was also attended by his party's central and provincial leadership.
Announcing the decision at a joint press conference along with PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, NP leader Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and PML-N leaders Sanaullah Zehri, Changez Khan Marri and others, Nawaz Sharif said that his party had opted to sacrifice "power for values", giving the slot of Chief Minister to NP's candidate Dr Abdul Malik Baloch despite PML-N's dominant position in the province.
He said that his party and coalition partners had discussed matters regarding the formation of government in Balochistan and decided that the governor of the province will be from PkMAP of Mehmood Khan Achakzai.
"PML-N has displayed a spirit of sacrifice for the greater interest of the country and the province...today is the day of celebration for all parties who talk about rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution and struggled against the forces of tyranny and dictatorship," he said, adding that PML-N had practically displayed the politics of values and principles.
He pointed out that PML-N's position became dominant in Balochistan after a majority of independents opted to join the party.
Terming the move as first step towards expressing solidarity with Balochistan, he said that it would also go a long way to restoring peace in the province, adding that the Balochistan government "will be transparent and promote merit and good governance".
Nawaz Sharif said that his party had always called for bringing stability to Balochistan and ending violence, adding that PML-N and its allied parties would try their level best to bring all dissident Baloch leaders into the mainstream politics. He said that peace in Balochistan was necessary for development in the country and the province.
He pledged that his party and its allies had also decided to deter the recurrence of the 'game' that was being played in the province for the past many years by forming a strong provincial government which would have strong support of the centre.
To a question about the future role of Frontier Corps (FC) in the province, Nawaz Sharif said that policies were being made by the elected government and all other institutions were subordinate to the elected government.
Nawaz Sharif, however, preferred not to give a clear reply to a question about the fate of former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf (retired). He initially talked about "the beauty of the democracy", then abruptly said that seven-year-long dictatorship had greatly injured the nation.
PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai welcomed the PML-N decision and said that it was a good omen that a party with an overwhelming majority in the province had invited its coalition partners to form the government.
"Today, Punjab's attitude is purely democratic and Pashtoon and Baloch people will stand by the PML-N for implementing its agenda...this will prove to be a new milestone for a New Pakistan and Pashtoon and Bacloh people will doubly reciprocate each of your steps," Achakzai declared.
According to him, the coalition partners would establish a strong government in the province that "will lay the foundation of a truly democratic Pakistan", adding that this day would be remembered as a landmark for the resolution of problems of the country and the province.
"If you are going to form a democratic Pakistan, we, the Pashtoon and Baloch people will be standing by you till doomsday," he declared. Mir Hasil Bizenjo of the NP thanked PML-N leadership for nominating Dr Abdul Malik as chief minister of the province and expressed his commitment to resolve all problems of the province and put it on the path of development.
Highlighting some basic problems of the province such as incidents of forced disappearances and recovery of mutilated bodies, he said that if the coalition government in Balochistan, with the co-operation of the federal government, succeeded in controlling such incidents, Balochistan could be reintegrated into Pakistan.
PML-N's provincial president Sanaullah Zehri assured full co-operation to the provincial government. May be it was merely a slip of tongue or mimicking the idea of Naya Pakistan expounded by Imran Khan, Zehri blurted: "Mian Sahib [also] has a vision of a Naya Pakistan...unless the dream of Naya Pakistan is materialised, Balochistan issues cannot be solved."