Balochistan crisis deepens as angry BAP lawmakers file no-confidence motion against CM Alyani

A group of disgruntled Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) lawmakers and their allies in the coalition government on Monday filed a noconfidence motion against Chief Minister Jam Kamal Alyani, deepening the months-long crisis.

The no-confidence motion, signed by 14 lawmakers was submitted to the secretariat of the Balochistan Assembly, five days after the disgruntled BAP members decided to file the motion following the expiry of a 24-hour ultimatum given to Alyani by members of his own cabinet and other lawmakers to resign. Lawmakers including Saeed Hashmi, Jan Jamali, Mir

Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, Asad Baloch, Naseebullah Marri and Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran were present in the assembly during the submission of the application.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion, BAP leader Buledi said their group had expressed a lack of confidence in Chief Minister Alyani with a "majority", requesting the Balochistan governor to summon a session of the assembly soon so that the no-confidence motion could be presented. He called upon Alyani once again to step down himself before the motion was taken up.

Balochistan National PartyAwami's (BNP-A) Asad Baloch said it was a principle that "one person is sacrificed for the larger interest of the majority." "We are not the disgruntled group, but the united group," he stressed, saying the political crisis had given rise to many issues and calling upon Alyani to "give up".

PTI MPA Marri said the PTI had been a part of the ruling coalition in Balochistan "from day one" and remained the same, adding: "Jam Kamal is requested to resign immediately." The no-confidence motion will be sent by Balochistan Assembly Secretariat to the provincial governor. If he approves it, a session of the assembly will be convened in 7-10 days to discuss the motion.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Alyani on Monday held a meeting with PTI parliamentary leader in the Balochistan Assembly Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind during which the existing political situation was discussed. Previously, 16 members of the opposition had filed a notrust motion against the chief minister on September 14.

However, the Governor House Secretariat had returned the motion to the Balochistan Assembly on technical grounds.

Sources had said at the time that officials concerned of Governor House while reviewing the no-trust motion had found a technical mistake in the summary for convening the Balochistan Assembly's special session for discussing the motion. Balochistan Assembly has 65 members, and according to the Constitution, a no-confidence motion needs the signatures of 20 per cent of the make-up of the legislative body to be tabled for discussion.