Staff Reporter Quetta
Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Alyani denied on Tuesday that he had formally resigned as the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) president, as the party named its vice-president, Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, as the BAP’s acting chief.
The news of Alyani’s resignation had surfaced earlier this month, amid a deepening political crisis in Balochistan and calls by BAP lawmakers and others for him to step down as the chief minister.
The chief minister had earlier announced his resignation in a tweet, wherein he had asked the party’s central organiser and general secretary to “announce BAP party elections at the earliest”.
“Alhamdulillah served a good three year[s] as party president and relinquish from my party presidentship post today,” he had added.
In a statement on Tuesday, BAP General Secretary Manzoor Ahmed Khan Kakar referred to the tweet, saying that a party meeting had been called and it had been decided to make Buledi the acting head, as the appointment of an acting party president was essential for holding intraparty elections.
He added that the Election Commission of Pakistan was being informed of the development.
However, in a press conference on Kamal contested having formally resigned as the party president.
The chief minister said neither had he stepped down as the party president nor he had any such plans.
“I don’t want any rifts in the party,” he said, claiming that some of his “friends” wanted him to serve as the party president until the intraparty elections.
He said he would be serving on the position considering the wishes of his “friends”, and assured support for “whoever is elected as the next party chief”.
Blaming the “irresponsible social media [users]” for the confusion, he said no factions were being created in the BAP.
Kamal went on to say that the dissenting BAP members who had turned against him were the ones who would meet him the most in the past.
“I always gave time to them, and the doors of my office are still not closed for anyone,” he said.
The chief minister said he would continue to make efforts to keep the party’s members united, adding that in case of disagreements, those in minority have to accept the majority’s decision.
Referring to the no-confidence motion filed by 14 lawmakers, including BAP members, on Monday, he said once the motion was presented, the majority’s decision would be accepted.
The no-confidence motion, signed by 14 lawmakers, had been submitted to the secretariat of the Balochistan Assembly on Monday, as Kamal continued to face criticism from the disgruntled members of his party over what they termed his failure to consult them in running the affairs of the province.
Speaking to reporters on the occasion, Buledi had 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.
