Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Quddus Bizenjo has taken an unexpected stance by declining to endorse the nomination of Ali Mardan Domki as the interim Chief Minister (CM) for Balochistan. This move has thrown the political scene in the province into uncertainty.
Following Bizenjo’s refusal, the responsibility of selecting an interim CM has been handed over to a parliamentary committee. Sources reveal that Chief Minister Bizenjo disappeared from the scene and even relinquished his official vehicles, leaving his staff at Balochistan House in Islamabad to handle them.
A senior leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation, reported that the parliamentary committee members waited until the early hours of the morning, but Chief Minister Bizenjo did not make an appearance.
As a result, the parliamentary committee has taken on the task of nominating the caretaker CM. In response, opposition leader Malik Sikandar Advocate has suggested a three-member committee comprising Abdul Wahid Siddiqui, Haji Nawaz Kakar, and Younas Aziz Zehri.
On the government’s side, Chief Minister Mir Quddus Bizenjo, along with Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran and Zamarak Achakzai, have been assigned the responsibility of nominating the interim CM.
Sources close to Chief Minister Bizenjo have revealed his strong opposition to Ali Mardan Domki’s candidacy and have put forward alternative nominees, including Mir Hamal Kalmati and Senator Kahuda Babar.
The JUI’s parliamentary committee has submitted two names for consideration as the interim CM: Mir Usman Badini and Ali Mardan Domki. This has led to divisions among opposition members within the Balochistan Assembly.
Malik Naseer Shahwani, the parliamentary leader of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), has addressed a letter to the Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly, expressing reservations about the JUI’s nomination for the caretaker CM position.
In an attempt to find common ground, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the chief of the BNP, has engaged in discussions with Maulana Fazalur Rehman, the chief of the JUI. However, these talks have failed to yield a consensus on a unanimous candidate for the chief ministership in Balochistan.
The situation continues to evolve as various stakeholders engage in deliberations and negotiations to reach a resolution. The political uncertainty in Balochistan remains a focal point of attention as the province navigates through this complex situation.
