Home Latest News Jam Kamal Khan Resigns from Balochistan Chief Minister Post

Jam Kamal Khan Resigns from Balochistan Chief Minister Post

by Staff Report

Balochistan C.M. Jam Kamal Khan

Balochistan Awami Party leader steps down a day prior to provincial assembly’s no-confidence vote against him

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Sunday evening announced he had resigned from his post, with the Governor House Secretariat confirming that it had been accepted.

“I, Jam Kamal Khan, under Article 130 (8) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, hereby resign from the office of the Chief Minister Balochistan today, the 24th day of October 2021,” read the brief resignation submitted by Kamal.

In a subsequent posting on Twitter, he thanked the lawmakers who had continued to support him and said he had arrived on his decision after deliberating on the events of the past month. “After many thoughts and reasoning and [to] not let PDM [Pakistan Democratic Movement] put further cracks in us … I put my resignation with a consensus,” he said, though the no-confidence motion against him was moved by disgruntled members of his own Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and not the opposition’s alliance.

“The resignation tendered by Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan is hereby accepted today on 24/10/2021,” read a statement from Governor Syed Zahoor Ahmad Agha.

Following Kamal’s decision to step down, his provincial cabinet also stands dissolved. The Balochistan Assembly would meet per its previously issued schedule today (Monday), during which the members who had table the no-confidence motion would withdraw their resolution. It is likely that the lawmakers would vote on the next Leader of the House today.

According to sources, Kamal’s decision was motivated by marathon meetings between him and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Defense Minister Pervaiz Khattak. They claimed that both leaders had informed Kamal that he lacked the numbers to retain his post and urged him to resign to allow the BAP to retain the government. Shortly after these meetings, Kamal expressed his displeasure on Twitter, advising Prime Minister Imran Khan to tell his federal lawmakers to stop trying to interfere in the “internal matters” of Balochistan.

Victory celebrations

Prior to Kamal’s announcement, Leader of Opposition in the Balochistan Assembly Malik Sikandar had said that Kamal would have to “go home at all costs,” as his opponents had the required numbers to oust him. “All 40 members have decided to go to the provincial assembly together to cast the vote of no-confidence against Kamal,” he said, claiming that any future government would be better than that of Kamal.

After Kamal’s announcement, the disgruntled members of the BAP and the opposition both celebrated their victory. The BAP lawmakers have said that they have nominated Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo for the slot of Leader of the House, while Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali has been picked for the position of the Balochistan Assembly Speaker.

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