QUETTA, March 13: Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has removed provincial Minister for Forests and Wildlife Mir Bakhtiar Khan Domki with immediate effect.
According to a notification issued on Monday, the governor took the action on the advice of Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf.
“Mir Bakhtiar Khan Domki, provincial Minister for Forests and Wildlife, shall stand removed from his office as minister with effect from March 12, 2006,” the notification said. No reason for the removal was given.
The notification said the portfolio of forests and wildlife would remain with the chief minister till further orders.
Sources said the chief minister acted against Mr Domki for his alleged violation of party discipline in the Senate election held on March 6.
Mr Domki, a grandson of Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, is reported to have voted for the opposition candidate, Agha Shahid Hasan Bugti, instead of Pakistan Muslim League’s candidate.
It is learnt that the high command of the ruling party had directed the chief minister to take action against the minister.
Mr Domki is also reported to have refused to support the paramilitary operation launched by the government in Marri and Bugti areas and demanded that the province’s issues should be resolved through negotiation.
Mr Domki was not available for comments on his removal.
It may be mentioned that PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had earlier removed Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhel from the office of the party’s provincial general secretary for violating discipline and allegedly voting for Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party deputy chairman Abdul Rahim Mandokhel.
The sources said the PML was also planning to move a no-confidence motion against Balochistan Assembly Deputy Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani, who contested the Senate election against the party’s decision.
Mr Bhootani termed the action against Mr Domki and Jaffar Mandokhel unjust. He said action had been taken against Mr Domki without any proof.
The sources said the authorities concerned were also investigating how Raja Mohammad Zarait Khan, a billionaire from Karachi, succeeded in getting three first and 16 second preference votes in the Senate election as an independent candidate from Balochistan.
However, no action has so far been initiated against PML members who had proposed the independent candidate’s nomination.
The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam is also trying to find out which of its legislators violated the party’s decision and did not vote for MMA’s candidate Dr Azizullah Satakzai.