QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch will present the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2013-14 on Thursday.

Despite the appointment of the governor and election of the chief minister, the coalition partners could not reach a power-sharing formula which caused a delay in formation of the provincial cabinet.

“In the absence of the cabinet, the chief minister will present the budget in the assembly,” Jan Mohammad Jamali, spokesman for the Balochistan government, told Dawn on Tuesday evening.

However, he said a three-member committee comprising legislators of the three coalition partners had been formed to finalise the budget proposals.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Malik and attended by the parliamentary leaders of PML-N, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and National Party (NP). The meeting also attended by PML-N Balochistan chief Sardar Sanaullah Zehri and PkMAP leader Nawab Ayaz Jogezai discussed the salient features of the budget.

Sources said differences among the coalition partners over distribution of important portfolios had caused the delay in formation of the cabinet.

The PML-N is demanding the post of senior minister, besides portfolios of finance, planning and development, irrigation and communication and works. The sources said the PML-N was of the opinion that despite being a majority party it had given the governorship to PkMAP and the post of chief minister to the NP.

“Now it is the right of the party to demand important portfolios,” a senior PML-N leader told Dawn.

The PkMAP and NP were also asking for these important ministries.