Abdul Quddus Bizenjo elected as 17th CM of Balochistan
Syed Ali Shah :
QUETTA: Abdul Quddus Bizenjo was elected as the 17th Chief Minister of Balochistan on Friday. Mr. Bizenjo secured 39 votes in the house of 65 from the Balochistan Assembly. Component parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) including Jamiat ul Ulema e Islam (F), Balochistan National Party (Mengal), and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) stayed away from the voting.
“All unnecessary check posts across Balochistan would be removed, the CM announced in his maiden speech. Mr. Bizenjo ordered the release of salaries of all Balochistan Development Authority (BDA) contract employees.
“My victory is everyone’s victory in this house”, Mr. Bizenjo said. He said, “I would be accessible to all”. Bizenjo’s election has come a few days after Jam Kamal Khan resigned as the CM of Balochistan in the aftermath of serious differences within the ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).
Jam Kamal, Nawab Raisani was not present in the house
However, former chief ministers including Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani and Jam Kamal Khan were not present in the house on the occasion of voting. Quddus Bizenjo had got 41 votes on January 13, 2018, after the removal of Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri’s government.
Lawmakers from the Awami National Party (ANP), Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), and Nawab Zehri of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) voted for Mr. Bizenjo. The allies had earlier supported Jam Kamal Khan as the Chief Minister of Balochistan.
Former CM Nawab Aslam Raisani had earlier announced that he would not vote for the BAP candidate.
Members congratulate Bizenjo
Members of the Balochistan Assembly in their speeches congratulated Abdul Quddus Bizenjo as leader of the house. Congratulating the newly elected CM, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, the parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf (PTI) asked the new CM to be aware of elements who had also misled Jam Kamal Khan.
“Bizenjo sab be aware of such elements”, Sardar Rind said. He however said that the government had to provide a plane to the former CM Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan from Quetta to Karachi the other day.
Bizenjo was sworn in as 17th CM of Balochistan
Governor Balochistan, Syed Zahoor Ahmed Agha administered oath to the newly elected CM Abdul Quddus Bizenjo. Governor Punjab, Chaudhary Ghulam Sarwar, members of Balochistan Assembly high-level officials participated in the oath-taking ceremony. A large number of people belonging to various walks of life also participated in the oath-taking ceremony. A crowd of people surrounded the newly elected CM after the oath-taking ceremony for congratulations. Governor’s house was jam-packed with political workers and supporters of the new CM.
