- Dr Malik says Arsalan was appointed to recognise services of his father for Baloch masses
- Denies Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s role in Arsalan’s appointment
Defending the appointment of Arsalan Iftikhar as vice chairman of the Balochistan Board of Investment (BOI), Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch on Saturday said Arsalan was appointed to recognise the services of his father, the former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry for the Baloch masses.
Baloch was addressing a joint press conference with National Party (NP) chief Senator Hasil Bizenjo to dispel what they called ‘misunderstandings’ with regard to the controversial appointment.
The government of Balochistan had appointed Arsalan Iftikhar as the vice chairman BOI few days back. The decision drew severe criticism from media, civil society and some opposition political parties. Subsequently, mounting media and political pressure worked and Arsalan Iftikhar was asked to tender his resignation on Thursday.
“I wanted to keep intact the link of Iftikhar Chaudhry with Balochistan by appointing his son as vice chairman of the BOI,” said the chief minister. “There was no role of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the appointment of Arsalan,” he added. He, however, admitted that it was a wrong decision to induct Arsalan.
“I withdrew the decision when the party chief told me to do so,” Dr Baloch said.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Bizenjo said that Arsalan was given the post upon his request to the chief minister.
He expressed regret over the statement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in this regard, adding that his party’s government had never been part of any financial scandal.
In response to a question, Chief Minister Baloch stated that during the last one year, his government had established better governance as compared to the previous provincial governments. “Nobody can show any financial scandal during the last one year,” the chief minister added. He claimed that “90 per cent” of the province was peaceful and roads were now safe and secure.
However, when his attention was drawn to Baloch rebels living on mountains, the chief minister admitted his failure in convincing them to join mainstream politics. “They (separatist) talk with gun and we talk under the ambit of the constitution which is not acceptable to them.”
Both leaders, on the occasion rejected Dr Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan’s “politics of agitation,” saying the NP would continue to support the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for the sake of democracy.