ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has agreed to the dissolution of assembly along with three other provincial assemblies, averting a constitutional crisis and paving the way for holding elections for national and provincial assemblies on the same day.
Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have agreed to the dissolution of their assemblies on March 19.
Mr Raisani had earlier refused to resign. His government stood restored on Thursday after the lifting of governor’s rule imposed in the province two months ago.
The decision was taken at separate meetings held in the presidency in Islamabad on Friday.
The first meeting was attended President Asif Ali Zardari, Mr Raisani, Law Minister Farooq Naek, Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah, senators Mualana Mohammad Shirani and Mir Israrullah Zehri and MPAs Maulana Wasey and Mir Asim Kurd.
The second meeting was attended by Mr Zardari, Mr Raisani, Governor Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and Mr Naek.
Mr Raisani is reported to have agreed to call a meeting of his cabinet on March 17.
Sources told Dawn that Maulana Shirani of JUI-F and Mr Zehri of BNP-Awami had played important roles in resolving the crisis.
However, JUI-F has refused to sit on treasury benches. In this way it will get the post of leader of opposition and the PPP and JUI-F will decide name of the caretaker chief minister to meet the constitutional requirement.
The sources in the presidency said Mr Raisani has been visiting the presidency over the past three days on the call of President Zardari.
They said that Mr Raisani and JUI-F leaders had put some conditions at the meeting, including transfer of Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad and some other administrative changes in the province. They said the name of Mahfouz Ali Khan, a senior bureaucrat from Balochistan, was suggested for the post of chief secretary.
However, the sources added, the Establishment Division wanted to appoint Iqbal Mohammad Khan Khattak as chief secretary.
It has been learnt that the lifting of governor’s rule was required under the Constitution to form a caretaker set-up in Balochistan.
Soon after the imposition of governor rule, there were reports that Mr Raisani would be replaced by another member of the provincial assembly, most probably from PML-Q, as chief minister.
PML-Q’s spokesman Kamil Ali Agha said his party had no objection to restoration of Mr Raisani as leader of the house and Maulana Wasay as leader of the opposition.According to official website of Balochistan Assembly, the PML-Q has 19 members, PPP 15, JUI-F 10, independents eight, BNP-Awami seven and ANP three. The PML-N, JUI-I and National Party have one member each.