Daily Times

Political uncertainty has engulfed the politics of Balochistan months before the general elections. Fourteen members of the Balochistan Assembly belonging to opposition and coalition parties moved a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri. Following this development, the latter dismissed Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti (who is member of the ruling party) and Special Assistant to the CM on Excise and Taxation, Mir Amanullah Notezai of the PML-Q.

In a tweet, Sarfraz Bugti claimed that the reports of his dismissal were untrue and that he had tendered his resignation. Bugti had previously announced that he would resign in support of the motion. He further said that his conscience had stopped him from continuing as part of a government that had ‘failed the people of Balochistan’. It is important to note that the Interior minister did not feel the need to resign over security failures that led to several attacks in Quetta during his ministership.

Meanwhile, the resignations and dismissals suggest the political crisis in the province is likely to get worse in the days to come. MPAs who moved the no-confidence motion against the Chief Minister complain that the he had been making all decisions alone without taking the coalition partners into confidence. The disgruntled MPAs also allege that the provincial government had ignored the development schemes announced in the budget. If the allegations leveled by the MPAs are true, the Chief Minister should indeed be held answerable. The PML-N government should take notice of the grievances of the MPAs and probe the allegations of mis-governance against the Chief Minister. However, one cannot help but think as to why the coalition partners felt the need to get rid of the Chief Minister out of nowhere. Moreover, there has previously been no indication of any forward blocs in PML-N Balochistan. Therefore, the unusual development raises a number of concerns. Such hasty moves are usually made when there is involvement of undemocratic forces in the process. Let’s hope this is not the case in Balochistan. The upcoming Senate elections may also have a role in these developments.

It goes without saying that the democratic forces should not take any step, which may end up creating a political vacuum in a province that is already affected by serious crises of security and governance.  *

Published in Daily Times, January 4^th 2018.