QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has said that he is not in favour of the de-seating of those members who had brought the no-confidence motion against him because they belong to his party and he will take steps for addressing their grievances which had forced them to take such a decision.

Addressing a press conference at the CM House on Thursday, he rejected the allegations levelled by the movers of the no-trust resolution. He said though moving a no-confidence motion is part of the democratic process, the timing of this decision was wrong.

Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) secretary general Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, provincial Minister Mohammad Khan Lehri, Adviser on Minorities’ Affairs Khalil Gorge Bhutto and Balochistan government spokesperson Farah Azeem Shah were also present at the press conference.

Mr Bizenjo said former chief minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani was the president of BAP, but he is no longer in office as he had announced his resignation from the office of the party president in a message on Twitter.

Claims he wants all BAP members to work together

He said the intra-party election in BAP would be held in next 10 days.

Mr Bizenjo said he is thankful to God as the no-confidence motion against him had failed.

He said it was his desire that after the change of government in Balochistan all his party members would work together but unfortunately it could not be made possible. “I will make all possible efforts to unite all party leaders and members and work jointly for the betterment of our province,” he added.

Mr Bizenjo said that fighting each other is not in anyone’s interest. All party members should work together for the development of the province and betterment of its people.

He said by creating differences the party cannot come up to the expectations of people. “I will contact those members who brought the no-trust motion against the government and will ask them to jointly work for the uplift of the province and prosperity of its people,” Mr Bizenjo said.

He thanked opposition parties, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for remaining impartial on the issue of the no-trust motion. He also lauded the role of Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), Jamhori Watan Party (JWP), BNP-Awami, Awami National Party (ANP), and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and PNP for fully supporting him.

He said the timing of the no-trust motion was not suitable as the government was busy making next year’s budget and preparing for the upcoming local government elections. However, despite facing all these issues the government remained successful in its efforts, he added.

In reply to a question, he said he had offered the JUI-F and BNP-M to join the government, but they have so far not responded.

He rejected the allegations of corruption, saying, “there is no reality in such stories”.

Answering another question, he said that though Mr Alyani is no more party president he should have shown his majority in the parliamentary party meeting before moving the no-trust motion against him.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2022