QUETTA, Sept 5: Balochistan Home Minister Mir Mohammad Shoaib Nausherwani has resigned because of differences with Chief Minister Jam Mohammed Yusuf over appointment of district Zakat committees' chairmen.
Mr Nausherwani said at a press conference at his residence on Sunday: "I am sending my resignation to the provincial governor." He said he would remain in the Pakistan Muslim League and continue to struggle for strengthening the party and development of Balochistan.
He said there was a coalition government in the province but one group was enjoying all the powers, privileges and incentives while the largest party in the ruling alliance, the PML, was under pressure.
"PML ministers have no powers," Mr Nausherwani said, adding that the PML ministers even did not have the powers of postings and transfers in their departments. He said the constituencies of the PML ministers were ignored in the Annual Development Programme while most of the funds were allocated for the areas of the other coalition partner.
He said the recent appointment district Zakat committees' chairmen had proved that the chief minister was also powerless as most of them were appointed from the groups that were opposing the development programme for the province launched by President Gen Pervez Musharraf.
"In my constituency a chairman from another party was appointed. The same was done in other districts," Mr Nausherwani said. He said that through such steps certain elements wanted to bulldoze the PML and its supporters, who were challenging the anti-development groups.
He said he had defended the development policies of President Musharraf despite threats and opposition of the anti-development elements. He the president was paying special attention to the development of the province to bring it at par with the developed areas of the country.
"Some elements in the government, by ignoring the PML and its supporters, want to damage the development programme of Gen Musharraf," he said. He said the situation was creating a sense of deprivation among the PML supporters.
He said he could not deceive the people of his area as a powerless minister any more and he thought it was better to resign. "I hope more ministers would resign," Mr Nausherwani said and added that if they would not do so their political future would be bleak.