In the ongoing process to select an interim Chief Minister for Balochistan, differences have surfaced among opposition parties regarding the nomination of committee members. The outgoing Chief Minister, Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, rejected the nomination of Mir Ali Mardan Domki for the post of caretaker Chief Minister. This nomination was proposed by former CM Jam Kamal Khan Alyani and opposition leader Malik Sikander Khan, who met with interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar. Despite media reports stating that Domki had been nominated as a consensus candidate, Mr. Bizenjo did not approve this nomination, creating further divisions among the opposition parties.
The matter has now been referred to the parliamentary committee for a decision through a vote. The opposition leader sent three names for consideration, including former MPAs Mohammad Nawaz, Abdul Wahid Siddique, and Younas Zehri, who belong to the JUI-F party. However, this decision has sparked serious reservations among the opposition parties, BNP-Mengal and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, as they were not included in the nomination process. BNP-Mengal’s parliamentary leader, Malik Naseer Ahmed Shahwani, and Nasarullah Zerey of PkMAP expressed their concerns to the speaker and demanded representation in the committee.
On the other hand, CM Bizenjo has nominated three representatives from the government side, including himself and representatives from BAP and ANP parties. However, objections have been raised by some quarters and the opposition regarding CM Bizenjo’s inclusion in the parliamentary committee. The speaker has informed the opposition that there are no restrictions on including the Chief Minister in the committee, but the official notification about the committee formation has not been issued yet.
Meanwhile, the opposition leader has submitted two names from the JUI-F for the post of caretaker CM, but no names have been sent from the other side so far. Akhtar Mengal, leader of BNP-Mengal, expressed surprise over the nomination of Mir Ali Mardan Domki and stated that the opposition leader did not consult BNP-Mengal, despite their active involvement in the opposition over the past five years.
In a separate development, Balochistan Governor Malik Abdul Wali Kakar has denied rumors of his resignation from office.
It remains to be seen how these differences will be resolved and who will ultimately be chosen as the interim Chief Minister for Balochistan.