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NEWS Friday 24 May, 2013
PML-N caught between the devil and the deep sea in Balochistan QUETTA
SHAHZAdA ZUlFIQAR
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HE PML-N finds itself caught between the devil and the deep sea after Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, the party’s provincial head, has refused to give up his efforts to gain the office of the Balochistan chief minister against the wishes of the party leadership. There are three strong candidates – two from the PML-N and one from the National Party – to lead the future ruling coalition in Balochistan. They include Zehri, the newly-appointed parliamentary leader of the PMLN and provincial party president, Nawabzada Changaiz Marri, another senior party leader and Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, head of the National Party. Zehri, who declared his candidature for the top slot without taking the party's central leadership in confidence, started his efforts soon after the general elections entering into negotiations with the political groups and independent members, and promising them lucrative portfolios. Party insiders say Zehri’s solo flight
started consulting the would-be coalition partners as well as Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the head of Balochistan National PartyMengal over government formation in Balochistan. Both Zehri and Marri are said to be making efforts to convince the leadership in their favour. Marri has an edge over his competitor because of being noncontroversial. Zehri on the other hand is involved in blood feuds and differences within the family as well as with other tribes. He also developed differences with Baloch nationalists when he nominated two elderly Baloch leaders Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri and Sardar Attaullah Mengal as well as their scions including Sardar Akhtar Mengal in the murder of his son, brother and nephew. Although the Baloch Liberation Front, headed by Dr Allah Nazar Baloch, claimed responsibility for the triple murder, Zehri still thinks the elderly nationalists are behind the murder. However, the
annoyed the central PML-N leadership. Marri put all his energies in the central party cadre lobby for himself. The party leadership appeared to be tilted in his favour for being the eldest son of Baloch separatist, Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, who is considered to be leading a militant group, the Baloch Liberation Army, in the province. On the other hand, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, a soft spoken belonging to the middle class, has the backing of Pashtun nationalist group, the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, which bagged 10 seats in the elections. Mir Hasil Bezenjo, a senior party leader, did extensive lobbying for his party’s chief to win the top slot in the province. PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai is said to have asked Shahbaz Sharif to consider Dr Abdul Malik for the position of chief minister if the PML-N wanted to have a corruption-free coalition and rule of law in Balochistan. Party insiders claim that on Tuesday, the party leadership
The PML-N leadership is being convinced not to nominate Zehri, who is allegedly said to be desperate to take revenge for the murders of his son, brother and nephew and could go to any extent in settling the score if becomes the chief minister. And in such circumstances, Zehri’s actions against Marri and Mengal tribes may ignite a tribal war in Balochistan that may shatter Nawaz Sharif’s dream of turning Balochistan “a cradle of peace”.
three nationalist leaders deny the charges, saying Zehri was being misguided by intelligence agencies. The PML-N leadership is being convinced not to nominate Zehri, who is allegedly said to be desperate to take revenge for the murders of his son, brother and nephew and could go to any extent in settling the score if becomes the chief minister. And in such circumstances, Zehri’s actions against Marri and Mengal tribes may ignite a tribal war in Balochistan that may shatter Nawaz Sharif’s dream of turning Balochistan “a cradle of peace”. And no assurances have come from Zehri for the party leadership that his “tribal affairs” will not influence the administrative affairs of the province once he takes over as chief minister. Mengal, the MPA elect and head of the BNP-M, is said to have categorically asked Nawaz, who has a soft corner for Mengal, not to include his party in the future coalition if Zehri is chosen for the top slot. The party leaders have suggested to Nawaz that if he opts for a party member to be made chief minister, he should go for Marri, and if he doen go with Marri, he should drop both Marri and Zehri and extend parliamentary support to Balochistan nationalist Dr Abdul Malik Baloch who already has the support of 25 MPs. In such a case, the PML-N will be one of major coalition partners having some influence over the day-to-day affairs of the province. It is now up to the PML-N leader whether he wants his dream of a peaceful Balochistan to be materialised through a clean and a stable ruling coalition or not.
Hoti accepts ANP defeat in KP, extends moral support to PTI PESHAWAR: Reaffirming Awami National Party’s (ANP) faith in democracy and supremacy of Constitution, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister Amir Khan Hoti said he would support the new government in the province. “We are against disruption of the democratic process and recognise the mandate given to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by the people of this province,” Hoti said while addressing gathering of Awami National Party. Thanking ANP’s former MPAs, office bearers and stalwarts for extending support during his government, Hoti said, “Whatever objections and reservations people might have, I believe that ANP made a valuable contribution in progress and prosperity of the province.” He listed out some achievements of the ANP government which included establishment of eight universities, colleges, construction of roads and preparing a strategy for extraction of natural resources. Hoti said that ANP believed in political force and in accordance with its political philosophy, it believed in continuation of struggle. He urged ANP stalwarts and leaders to forge unity amongst their ranks, which was essential for pulling the Pashtuns out of their existing crises, he said. Referring to the party’s position in 2013 general elections, Hoti said, “ANP’s decision of contesting polls amidst serious threats to lives of its leaders, office bearers and candidates should be appreciated.” He said that almost all attacks were aimed at blocking ANP from contesting but party leaders, candidates and workers turned a deaf ear to such threats. Commenting PTI’s victory in KP, Hoti said it was the decision of the masses and he would accept it. However, he urged the Pashtuns to question why the PTI had failed to secure votes in other provinces. At the same time, he said that PTI should be given a fair chance to run their government in the province smoothly. STAFF REPORT
Khursheed Bukhari appointed acting IB Dg ISLAMABAD: Khursheed Bukhari has been appointed acting director general (DG) of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), sources said on Thursday. According to the sources, incumbent IB DG Abdul Wadood Shah will retire and he would be appointed member of the Federal Public Service Commission. Bukhari was a chief of the IB in Punjab. ONlINE
QUETTA: A security personnel injured in a roadside bombing on Thursday is being transported to the Civil Hospital. INP
KP Assembly’s first session to be held on 29th: Khattak PESHAWAR APP
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister-designate Pervez Khattak on Thursday said the first session of the newly-elected members of the provincial assembly would be convened on May 29 for which all arrangements had been completed. Addressing a press conference, after three MPs elect announced support for the PTI, Mushtaq Ghani, Qalandar Lodhi from Abbottabad and Saimullah Khan Alizai from DI Khan, Khattak said May 29 would be a historic day in the province's parliamentary history wherein all the newly-elected members of the KP Assembly would take oath. Later, elections for the speaker and the deputy speaker would be held followed by elections for the coveted office of the CM. The PTI has nominated its KP president, Asad Qaiser for the office of the speaker and Khattak for the office of the
CM. Khattak said all coalition partners and elected representatives would be given respect and be taken on board on all issues. He said the election manifesto of the PTI as well as the promises made by the PTI chairman during the election campaign would be implemented in letter and
spirit. He said establishment of peace in KP would be on the top of the agenda of his government. Khattak said the policy pertaining to holding peace talks was the prime responsibility of the federal government and “we will make a decision with mutual consensus and after consultation with senior party leadership, once the federal government forms a policy regarding peace talks”. “Zero tolerance against kidnapping, and street crimes would be adopted, he said. Khattak categorically made it clear that no compromise would be made on peace and law and order in the province as such conditions were a prerequisite for progress and prosperity of the province. He said the PTI government in KP would be a role model for other provinces. “Cruelty in any form, injustice, corruption and favoritism will not be tolerated,” Khattak said, adding that reforms would be introduced for the betterment of
education, health services, local government system and eth police system. "PTI's goals are not to just be in power but to serve the masses irrespective of their political affiliation with best of our abilities and we will use all energies so that people can see tangible and positive changes in their lives for which they had voted for the party," Khattak added. He said civil servants and government officials with clean service records and those who would resolve to work tirelessly for the resolution of the peoples' problems would not be shuffled or transferred. “The upcoming budget in KP will be pro-poor and people-friendly and relief will be provided to the masses,” he said. Asked about the long hours of electricity load shedding, Khattak said the federal government would be contacted for the purpose and a national strategy would be adopted to end load shedding from the country and especially in KP.