With the consultation process between the major coalition partners for naming new chief minister of Balochistan entering its final stage, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has been given lead to name a new but non-controversial chief executive of the conflict-hit province while Mir Abdur Rehman Jamali is most likely to be named new leader of the House. Jamali is followed by Syed Ihsan Shah of the Baloch National Party (BNP) as second favourite in line who is also backed by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Pakistan Today has learnt.
Mir Abdul Rehman Jamali was elected from PB 26-Jaffarabad II in year 2008 on a PPP ticket.
A well-placed source said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leadership, the largest political group in Balochistan Assembly,
had also backed the nomination of Jamali, who is the brother of former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali.
“After a nod by Chaudhry Shujaat, Mir Abdur Rehman Jamali has emerged as consensus candidate. Moreover, the PPP leadership has also assured a delegation of Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen that all the controversial figures allegedly involved in Balochistan turmoil, including Ali Mohammad Jattak, Asim Kurd Gelu and Mir Sadiq Umrani would not be appointed to the province’s top office,” the source said.
The source added that the PPP leadership had presented the names of Ali Mohammad Jattak and Mir Sadiq Umrani but both the leaders could not get clearance from certain quarters due to their dubious roles and their alleged involvement in illegal activities. “The Balochistan governor has also objected to the nomination of both Jattak and Umrani. Moreover, Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain have also refused to support their nomination. Hence, it was decided that the PPP leadership would look for a replacement and Jamali is likely to be sworn in as the new chief minister of Balochistan,” the source added.
The source said that JUI-F and BNP had put their weight behind former finance minister Syed
Ihsan Shah, a leader of the BNP, for nomination as chief minister.
Another source said that former finance minister Asim Kurd Gelu was also hoping to get support for his nomination in the current situation but neither Shujaat nor Mushahid had supported his nomination due to his dubious role over the past few years. President Asif Ali Zardari had signed the summary regarding imposition of Governor’s Rule in Balochistan on January 14 this year after which Governor Zulfiqar Ali Magsi had become the chief executive of the province following a long protest by Shia Hazara along with over 86 coffins of their dead in Quetta.
