Ali Mardan Khan Domki was on Friday sworn in as the caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan at a ceremony held at the Governor House.

Governor Malik Abdul Wali Khan Kakar administered the oath.

The oath-taking ceremony was attended by former chief minister Jam Kamal, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti, and ex-provincial ministers.

Earlier today, the governor approved Domki’s name as the interim chief minister of the province after days of deliberations.

According to the Public Relations Officer to the governor, Paind Khan Kharoti, Governor Kakar gave the approval on the recommendation of the parliamentary committee which forwarded the name to him last night.

The process to appoint Balochistan’s caretaker chief minister had failed to conclude yesterday after three committee members, tasked with nominating the new CM, failed to attend the meeting.

The 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 had 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.

The matter was referred to the committee after outgoing chief minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo and opposition leader Malik Sikander Khan had failed to reach a consensus on a name.

The outgoing chief minister had on Tuesday night refused to accept the nomination of Domki for the post of caretaker CM. It was proposed by former CM Jam Kamal Khan Alyani and Malik Khan after meeting interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar.

Differences had cropped up on Wednesday among the opposition parties over the nomination of committee members.

Bizenjo, who is in Islamabad, had not met the opposition leader and Alyani went to Balochistan House to get his signature on the summary regarding the nomination of Domki and said he had not approved the latter as a consensus candidate.

The matter was then referred to the parliamentary committee to decide a candidate through a vote.

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