Syed Ali Shah:
QUETTA: National Party President and former Balochistan chief minister Dr. Malik Baloch has said he has neither been offered the post of chief minister by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif nor does he personally wish to assume the office under the current circumstances.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Quetta Voice, Dr. Malik clarified speculation surrounding his possible return to the province’s top executive position. He said no such offer had been made by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Responding to a question about how he would react if the PML-N were to invite him to lead the provincial government, Dr. Malik said that, on a personal level, he had no desire to become chief minister in the prevailing situation. However, he emphasized that the final decision would rest with the National Party’s leadership.
“I am a committed and disciplined political worker. Whatever decision my party makes, I will abide by it,” he said.
The former chief minister also revealed that he had recently held meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, veteran politician Afrasiab Khattak, and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, among other senior political leaders.
According to Dr. Malik, the discussions focused primarily on the political and security situation in Balochistan. He said he conveyed to the country’s leadership that the ground realities in the province were far more serious than what was being reported to them.
Reiterating his long-standing stance, Dr. Malik stressed that Balochistan’s challenges should be addressed through political dialogue rather than force. He maintained that lasting peace and stability in the province could only be achieved through inclusive political engagement and democratic solutions.
