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.

Opinion

Editorial

Climate choices
Updated 15 Jun, 2026

Climate choices

The country is confronting increasingly volatile weather patterns with consequences for agriculture, infrastructure, public health and economic planning.
Brief opening
15 Jun, 2026

Brief opening

WE have been here before. Throughout the weekend, there was great anticipation that a tentative framework for peace...
Environmental disaster
15 Jun, 2026

Environmental disaster

IT was a heartbreaking sight. A recent news report in these pages carried a picture of a sea turtle lying half ...
Budget presser
Updated 14 Jun, 2026

Budget presser

If the FBR falters, the government will find itself in hot water sooner rather than later.
Muharram precautions
14 Jun, 2026

Muharram precautions

WITH Muharram due to start next week, the authorities have already begun annual exercises to ensure that the ...
Blood bequests
14 Jun, 2026

Blood bequests

WORLD Blood Donor Day offers a moment of “gratitude, advocacy and renewed commitment” for thalassaemia patients...