Balochistan Govt, Opposition move to gain support after no-trust motion

QUETTA: Balochistan’s political field has heated up after opposition lawmakers on Tuesday submitted a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Jam Kamal.

Opposition parties, the Balochistan National Party (BNP), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (P-MAP) yesterday submitted the no-trust motion at the assembly’s secretariat demanding Chief Minister Jam Kamal to seek confidence vote within seven days.

The opposition lawmakers have made contacts with treasury members and have claimed that the estranged lawmakers of the government will back their move. The movers of the no-trust motion have claimed that the move against Jam Kamal’s government will succeed.

The opposition parties have summoned a joint consultative session to ensure success of the no-confidence motion.

The government has also decided to convene a joint consultative meeting with Chief Minister Jam Kamal in chair.

“The members of ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and its allied parties lawmakers will attend the meeting and express their confidence over the chief minister,” government circles said.

The opposition will need a simple majority of 33 members of the provincial assembly to win the no-confidence motion against the Chief Minister.

At present, the ruling coalition have 42 members in Balochistan Assembly, while the opposition parties have a strength of 23 lawmakers.

In 2018, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri had to step down from his office after no-trust move against him in the provincial assembly.