Jam Kamal Khan sworn in as Balochistan's 16th chief minister

Published August 19, 2018
Jam Kamal Khan being administered the oath for the office of Balochistan chief minister. —DawnNewsTV
Jam Kamal Khan being administered the oath for the office of Balochistan chief minister. —DawnNewsTV

Jam Kamal Khan was sworn in as the Balochistan chief minister (CM) on Sunday in a ceremony held at the Governor House in Quetta, making him the 16th leader of the Balochistan Assembly.

Muhammad Khan Achakzai administered the oath as Balochistan governor in a ceremony attended by the provincial assembly speaker, Mir Abdul Qudoos Biznjo; deputy speaker, Sardar Babar Mushakhel; and other elected members of the provincial assembly.

Also in attendance were ministers from the caretaker cabinet, tribal elders and high-ranking officials.

"An educated Balochistan" is the vision of the newly-elected chief minister, who has in the past served as minister for state as well as district nazim of Lasbela.

In the 2013 general elections, Jam Kamal was elected Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-270 Lasbela-cum-Awaran. He also served as minister for state till 2018.

In 2018, Jam Kamal helped form the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and was elected its first president.

He hails from a well-regarded tribe of Balochistan. His maternal grandfather is Khan Mir Ahmad Yar Khan, the last Khan of Kalat, when it was still a semi-autonomous state in British India.

His paternal grandfather is Jam Ghulam Qadir, the last Jam of Lasbela — the title given to rulers when Lasbela was a princely state. As the ruler of a princely state, Jam Qadir was the first to declare his decision to join Pakistan.

Editorial

Balochistan outreach
Updated 11 Apr, 2025

Balochistan outreach

Terrorists must be dealt with firmly, but engaging in political activity cannot be equated with terrorism.
PSL season
Updated 11 Apr, 2025

PSL season

The season begins with the national team consistently underperforming and a war of words raging between franchise owners over the PSL’s standing.
Student woes
11 Apr, 2025

Student woes

BRIGHT young Pakistanis face an uncertain future in the US. The Trump administration, not content with merely...
Mineral wealth
Updated 10 Apr, 2025

Mineral wealth

The Baloch unrest is partly the result of the belief that the province’s resources are being used for the rest of the country rather than for Balochistan’s economic development.
Senate shortfalls
10 Apr, 2025

Senate shortfalls

THE latest Citizens’ Report by Pildat on the performance of the Senate of Pakistan is a sobering account of...
Crypto coup
10 Apr, 2025

Crypto coup

IT is quite the coup. One of the most recognisable names in the global cryptocurrency market has been roped in by ...