QUETTA, March 26: Although a notification about sacking of five PPP ministers from the Balochistan cabinet was withdrawn on Thursday and the minister of state for ports and shipping announced that the issue had been resolved, differences between the chief minister and the protesting ministers still exist.

Sadiq Umrani, PPP’s parliamentary leader, and Asfandyar Kakar refused to accept Nabeel Gabol, the minister, as mediator, accusing the chief minister of sacking them “under a conspiracy”.

Mr Gabol said at a press conference, with senior minister Maulana Andul Wasey, Mir Zafar Zehri, Shahiq Ahmed Khan and Engineer after removing complaints of the ministers.

He said that there were some differences between the ministers and Chief Minister Nawab Raisani, but these had been removed after negotiations.

However, Mr Gabol said that making differences public was a violation of discipline and the PPP co-chairman would take a decision in this regard.

Maulana Wasey appealed to the PPP leadership not to take any disciplinary action against the ministers. None of the protesting ministers attended Mr Gabol’s press conference.

Mir Sadiq Umrani, Asfandyar Kakar, Agha Irfan Karim, Jan Ali Changezi and Babu Amin Umrani had announced late Wednesday night that they would submit their resignations to President Asif Ali Zardari in protest against the ‘attitude’ of the chief minister.

The situation worsened on Thursday morning when the chief minister announced sacking of the ministers before they tendered resignations.

However, the notification was immediately withdrawn after intervention by Mr Gabol and other coalition partners.
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