QUETTA: With the return of four ‘missing’ MPAs from Islamabad to Quetta on Saturday and their announcement of support for angry lawmakers of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), success of the no-trust motion against Chief Minister Jam Kamal Alyani cannot be ruled out as Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has also joined hands with the disgruntled group.

The four MPAs went missing on the day when the angry group with the support of the opposition parties tabled the no-confidence motion in the Balochistan Assembly.

The opponents of the chief minister had alleged that their four colleagues, including three women MPAs, had been kidnapped.

The MPAs Akbar Askani, Bushra Rind, Laila Tareen and Mahjabeen Sheran returned to Quetta in the official plane of the Balochistan government.

PPP’s Zehri also joins anti-CM camp

The provincial capital remained in the grip of hectic political activities and rumours of the chief minister’s resignations made rounds throughout the day on Saturday.

TV channels aired breaking news of resignation of Mr Alyani which he denied as baseless reports. Balochistan Governor Syed Zahoor Ahmed Agha also denied receiving resignation of the chief minister.

The rumours about his resignation started spreading when the four MPAs returned to Quetta in the official plane and reached the residence of Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, where they announced that they were part of the angry group.

With this the strength of the angry group and its supporters has reached 40 in the house of 65 members.

Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and federal Defence Minister Pervez Khattak also reached Quetta and held separate meetings with the chief minister and the angry group. Sources claim that Mr Sanjrani and Mr Khattak asked the chief minister to resign. However, there was no official word in this regard.

The founder of the BAP, Senator Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, said that after the return of the four ‘missing’ MPAs, “the party is over”.

In a related development, PPP MPA Nawab Sanaullah Zehri held a meeting with the angry group of BAP lawmakers and assured them of his support.

Meanwhile, BAP acting President Mir Zahoor Buledi has directed the party’s MPAs to cast their vote against Mr Alyani in the voting on no-confidence motion against him on Monday (tomorrow).

The directive was issued through a letter Mr Buledi sent to MPAs Mir Arif Jan Mohammad Hasni, Nawabzada Tariq Magsi, Sardar Sarfraz Domki, Sardar Masood Luni, Matha Khan Kakar, Mir Saleem Khosa, Haji Mohammad Khan Tour Utamankhel, Mir Ziaullah Langove, Khalil George and Dr Rubaba Buledi.

The letter warned that in case of deviation by any MPA, action would be taken under Article 63A of the Constitution to seek his/her disqualification.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2021