‘PML losing ground in Pukhtun areas’

Published January 21, 2007

QUETTA, Jan 20: Senate deputy chairman Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali has said that the Pakistan Muslim League is losing political favour in Pukhtun areas of Balochistan and Kalat division due to domination of the MMA in the provincial cabinet.

“MMA ministers are enjoying all powers taking all important ministries of Balochistan,” he said while talking to newsmen during his visit to Usta Mohammad, on Saturday.

He said the majority party of the province, the PML, was given only portfolio of the chief minister and some unimportant ministries and the situation was creating difficulties for the party in the province.

He said that the MMA ministers had launched long-term development projects in their constituencies allocating billions of rupees and the projects would be completed between five to 10 years.

He said that a big portion of the development budget would be spent on the projects.

Mr Jamali said the MMA was accommodating its own people in the vacant and newly-created vacancies in their departments and ignoring other candidates.

“It is very alarming situation for the PML as its workers have become disappointed,” said Mr Jamali.

He said that another coalition partner of the provincial government the BNP-Awami also enjoyed more share then its strength in the assembly.

“Only the PML is loser in all respects,” he said and added that the situation would also affect the success of the party in next elections in different areas especially in the Pukhtun belt.