Balochistan C.M. Jam Kamal Khan
Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan refuses to resign, maintains he has numerical strength to re-emerge victorious in voting
Disgruntled members of the Balochistan Assembly are set to present a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan today (Wednesday), with the embattled leader claiming he has the numerical majority to emerge victorious once more.
Last month, 14 lawmakers, including 11 disgruntled MPAs of the ruling Balochistan Awami Party and three from allied parties, had submitted a no-confidence motion against the chief minister in the Balochistan Assembly. The splinter group claims to have the support of 40 MPAs against the chief minister’s 26, which has been denied by the provincial government.
Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani on Wednesday told journalists that C.M. Jam Kamal Khan was backed by a majority in the House, adding that this would be proven during the voting process. He said that the C.M. would not come under any pressure and would not resign from his post.
Earlier, BAP chief organizer Jan Muhammad Jamali urged Khan to step down, claiming his “game is over.” He recalled that he had already advised the chief minister to resign a week ago. Responding to the jibes on Twitter, the Balochistan chief minister said he had come to serve the people of Balochistan and would continue to do so while he was in office. “Balochistan must be a game for Jan Jamali but not for Jam Kamal,” he added.
On Oct. 11, Zahoor Buledi was appointed acting president of BAP, deseating Khan. BAP General-Secretary Manzoor Kakar subsequently wrote to the Election Commission of Pakistan to appoint Buledi the party’s acting president—a move that has been rejected by Kamal as having “no legal value.”