The PML-N central leadership is perplexed over finalising the name of the candidate for the slot of Balochistan chief minister and has started contacting intellectuals in the province through party’s think-tank to know their view about the frontrunner, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch of the National Party, sources have revealed.
They said the PML-N provincial leadership was strongly opposing the idea of nominating Baloch nationalist Dr Abdul Malik for the office of the chief minister, warning the central leadership that the party would suffer badly if any decision was made to surrender the office to other any political party.
PML-N provincial president Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, who declared himself candidate for the chief minister’s office and Nawabzada Changaiz Marri, are aspirants for the top office of the province. However, the party’s central leaders who have some liking for Marri as compared to Zehri are perplexed over finalising the name of the candidate.
“It is very difficult for the party’s central leadership to take decision in this regard as no party MPA qualifies for the CM ship in the prevailing and peculiar situation of Balochistan,” a party leader said on condition of anonymity.
He further said Nawaz Sharif in fact wanted to take all nationalists, particularly Baloch, on board for a peaceful and developed Balochistan and no personality from the party fold could deliver that. “If Sardar Akhtar Mengal, president Balochistan National Party, had succeeded in recent held elections with only six to eight MPAs, he would have been the first choice of Nawaz as the chief minister,” he said.
Although Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the PkMAP president, nominated Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, he has already declared that it was the prerogative of Nawaz to decide in this regard.
Both leaders of the PkMAP and NP also declared that their parties had already decided to form coalition with the PML-N.
A party source said Nawaz had the name of Dr Abdul Malik Baloch on top of the list for candidates, but wanted to reconsider his decision time and again. He, therefore, decided to assign the task to some members of the party’s think-tank to make contact with intellectuals in Balochistan to get their opinion about Dr Malik, Marri and Sanaullah Zehri.
One of the Baloch intellectuals who refused to give his name said he and some other members of his circles had been contacted by one of the party’s central member for an opinion about the three names.
He said some people he knew had backed Nawaz’s decision in favour of Dr Malik provided the PML-N wanted a corruption-free coalition government and issues like governance, Baloch missing persons and kill and dump policy somewhat resolved.
Sixty-three MPAs-elect are taking oath in the assembly session summoned today (Saturday) and the House will meet again after a day or two to elect the leader of the House, speaker and deputy speaker.
The decision from the central leadership of PML-N is expected by Sunday.
