QUETTA: The process to appoint Balochistan’s caretaker chief minister failed to reach a conclusion on Thursday after three members of a committee, tasked with nominating the new CM, failed to attend the meeting.

The parliamentary committee notified earlier in the day, was scheduled to meet at 9pm. However, only three members arrived to attend the meeting, an official of the Balochistan Assembly told Dawn.

Earlier in the day, Speaker Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali had formed a six-member parliamentary committee — with three leaders each from the treasury and opposition members in the previous assembly.

According to sources, outgoing Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo and Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran from the government’s side, and Maulana Abdul Wahid Siddique, one of the opposition members, didn’t arrive to attend the meeting.

The meeting has been postponed till Friday, the last day for the committee to reach a consensus. After the deadline, the matter will be referred to the Election Commission on Saturday.

The assembly was dissolved on Aug 12, after which Mr Bizenjo and former opposition leader Malik Sikandar Khan had three days to choose a candidate.

The committee

The parliamentary committee was formed after the incumbent CM and the leader of the opposition failed to reach a consensus on any candidate.

In case of a deadlock, as per the Constitution, the matter goes to the parliamentary committee.

The two-day delay in the formation of the committee was due to Mr Biznejo’s insistence that he be included in the body. However, there was strong resistance by the opposition over his inclusion.

On Thursday, Speaker Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali rejected the objections and formed the committee.

CM Bizenjo has been included in the body wh­ich also includes Sar­dar Abd­ul Rehman Khe­tran and Engineer Zamrak Khan Piralizai from the government side. Younas Aziz Zehri, Maulana Abdul Wahid Siddique and Haji Muhammad Nawaz will represent the opposition, according to a notification by the assembly secretariat.

The speaker clarified there was no restriction on the incumbent CM’s inclusion in the committee.

The committee will discuss the names of four candidates sent by the CM and opposition leader to the speaker by the opposition.

The opposition parties have nominated former MNA Muhammad Usman Badini and former district nazim of Sibi Mir Ali Mardan Domki.

The CM has put forward the names of Mir Naseer Ahmed Bizenjo, the sitting District Council chairman of Awaran and Mir Ali Hassan Zehri, the district president of PPP in Hub.

Separately, the BNP-Mengal parliamentary leader in the last assembly, Mir Naseer Ahmed Shahwani, and PkMAP’s Nasarullah Zerey have also demanded the speaker add leaders from their parties to the committee.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2023