Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is in a bind over nomination of Balochistan chief minister and a forward bloc is likely to be formed in the parliamentary party on the nomination of someone who is not a party member as chief minister of the province.
Reliable sources revealed that majority of the parliamentary party members of Balochistan Assembly are backing Sanaullah Zehri for Balochistan chief minister and will not accept any other in this office.
Apart from the PML-N, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and independents also support only Sardar Sanaullah Zehri.
A senior leader on the condition of anonymity confirmed that the PML-N parliamentary party would not accept someone who is not a party member as chief minister of the province. He said that if Nawaz Sharif could respect the mandate of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) as single largest party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) especially in a situation where the PML-N was in a position to form a government in the KP with the support of the JUI-F and independents and other parties, then depriving his own party in Balochistan would be against the democratic norms and any such decision could create frictions in the party which would be very unfortunate.
He further claimed that nomination of Dr Abdul Malik Baloch as chief minister would further complicate the Balochistan situation instead of resolving it. Imposing minority over majority would be against the spirit of the democracy and people of Balochistan would not accept such decision. In such a case, the Balochistan situation would be worse than that in the former chief minister Nawab Aslam Raisani’s era and the government would have no writ over 50 percent of Balochistan, he added.
He claimed that due to Sanaullah Zehri’s efforts, the PML-N emerged as the single majority party in Balochistan. Explaining the number game, he said they have the support of 33 members including the PML Q and JUI and other parties.
Balochistan PML-N General Secretary Naseebullah Khan Bazai confirmed that the majority of the parliamentary party members were supporting Sanaullah Zahri’s candidature for the CM office. He admitted there was resentment among the party members over nominating a non-Leaguer as chief minister of the province. However, he did not agree that resentment could lead to a revolt or formation of a forward bloc.
