ISLAMABAD: The disgruntled members of the ruling coalition in Balochistan have plainly refused to withdraw the no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Jam Kamal, saying no option except “minus Jam Kamal” is acceptable.
Sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that the disgruntled members during a meeting with Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, conveyed the message to the top leadership, especially Prime Minister Imran Khan that they are not going to budge from their stance of ousting the chief minister.
The sources said that Khattak had a meeting with the disgruntled members of the coalition led by acting president of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) Zahoor Buledi, which was also attended by Speaker Balochistan Assembly Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, and others, in which the deepening political crisis in the province was discussed in detail.
They said that Khattak requested the disgruntled members of the ruling coalition to resolve the matter amicably through talks.
However, they refused to take back the no confidence motion against chief minister Kamal.
The ruling BAP, on Tuesday, appointed Zahoor Buledi as its acting-president after Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan stepped down as party president amid mounting pressure in the wake of a no-confidence motion moved against him by the estranged party members in the provincial assembly.
However, Kamal later took back his resignation as the party president, which has now virtually divided the party into a two factions – one led by him and the other by Buledi.
Kamal landed in hot waters after 14 lawmakers in the provincial assembly, mostly from his own party and other coalition partners, signed a no-confidence motion against him, which was submitted to the speaker’s office on October 11, 2021.
The Balochistan Assembly has a total of 65 members and as per the Constitution a no-confidence motion needs the signatures of 20 percent, or 13 members.
The no-confidence motion has been signed by 14 members, while 11 more members of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have also assured their support to the disgruntled lawmakers of the ruling alliance.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021