No-confidence motion moved against Balochistan CM

QUETTA: A rift has been created within the Balochistan coalition government as several provincial lawmakers on Tuesday submitted a no-confidence motion against Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Sanaullah Zehri.

According to details, former deputy speaker Mir Quddus Bizenjo and Syed Agha Raza tabled the motion with signatures of 14 members.

It was reported that the blockage of funds and the pending decision on the deputy speaker added fuel to the fire. The opposition parties have also given green signal to support the rebel group within the government.

Political observers in the provincial capital have been speaking of differences in the provincial government for quite some time as several provincial lawmakers are not happy with the way of working of CM Sanaullah Zehri.

In the document submitted to the Balochistan Assembly speaker, the parliamentarians wrote:

“We the undersigned Members of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan, do hereby move a resolution of Vote of No Confidence, against the Chief Minister, Government of Balochistan, under Article 136 of the Constitution of Pakistan, read with Rule 19-B of the RULES OF PROCEDURE AND CONDUCT OF BUSINESS 1974 of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan. Hence, it is requested that a day be fixed, for moving the aforesaid resolution in the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan.”

Under the constitution, a no-confidence motion is to be tabled in the house within seven days.

Former deputy speaker Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo claimed that they have the support of a simple majority in the 65-member provincial assembly. Some 53 of the 65 lawmakers in Balochistan Assembly are part of the government.

There is a coalition government in Balochistan which has three parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and National Party (NP).

Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) holds eight seats.

Only 12 members are part of the opposition.

Political observers say that in view of the political developments in the country, there is a possibility of the emergence of a new alliance in Balochistan to set up a new government till the formation of a caretaker government before the elections.  They say the federal government of PML-N would not like any move for the imposition of governor’s rule before the Senate elections.