The federal government has approached Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai to urge him to accept two cabinet slots but Achakzai has decided to turn down the offer.
He has decided to convey to Nawaz Sharif that his party would continue to support the federal government on all initiatives taken in larger interest of the nation while staying away from cabinet slots.
On the other hand, parties like Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had manoeuvred enough to win a share in the cabinet while the party is also trying hard to become a part of the Balochistan government.
Seeking anonymity, a PkMAP lawmaker told Pakistan Today that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had met Achakzai and asked him to propose two names of party lawmakers for cabinet slots.
“Nisar also conveyed a message of the prime minister and said Nawaz wanted to include the Pashtun representatives from Balochistan in the cabinet after accommodating Baloch leaders in centre and Balochistan,” he said.
“Following the message was conveyed, our party has held several sessions to deliberate upon the offer and it has been decided in principle not to accept the offer which may compromise the party’s independent stance on a host of issues. To keep the party out of the government’s influence, we will not accept the cabinet slots as this will mean that we have to support all decisions taken by the government. However, we will keep supporting Mr Sharif’s good steps taken in public interest while staying out of the cabinet,” the PkMAP leader added.
PkMAP MNA from Quetta Abdul Qahar Wadan confirmed that an offer had been made by the federal government to join the cabinet. He, however, said the party was yet to take any decision in this regard.
“Deliberations are on and the party would soon take a decision in this regard. When the decision is made, we will inform the media about our decision,” he maintained. To a question about delay in expansion of Balochistan cabinet, Wadan said the matter had been decided by the coalition partners and the formal oath-taking ceremony would soon be held.
Three ministers took oath on June 19. The ministers are PML-N Balochistan President Sanaullah Zehri, PkMAP leader Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal and NP leader Nawab Khan Shahwani. However, no more ministers could be inducted due to differences between the coalition partners over share of the cabinet slots.
“The Balochistan government would observe the limitations made in the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Under the formula agreed upon, a 19-member cabinet would be sworn in with fourteen ministers and five advisors to the Balochistan chief minister,” he said, adding that all the parties had been asked to provide their nominees to the Balochistan Chief Minister for formal announcement.
“The PML-N is the major coalition partner and it will have six ministers while National Party and PkMAP would have four cabinet members. Moreover, two advisers would be taken from the PML-N and the PkMAP while the NP would have one advisory slot,” he added.
Achakzai likely to reject PML-N’s offer to join federal cabinet
