Balochistan Awami Party’s (BAP) Parliamentary Leader Khalid Magsi on Monday said that his party would support the joint opposition’s no-confidence motion filed against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly.
Addressing a press conference alongside PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, PDM chief Fazlur Rehman, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Magsi, whose party has four MNAs, said: “We want the country to be handled in anew […] we want the issues to be resolved.”
The development came only a day after Special Assistant to PM on Reconciliation and Harmony in Balochistan and Jamhoori Watan Party President Shahzain Bugti announced to part ways with the government and side with the opposition.
However, BAP MNA and Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal has not parted ways with the government and will vote against the no-confidence motion.
Therefore, BAP’s four MNAs would support the opposition and one would support the government during voting on the no-confidence motion.
Meanwhile, the opposition leaders — Fazl, Shehbaz, Zardari, and Bilawal — thanked the BAP leader for announcing support for the no-trust motion. “We will ensure Balochistan’s development,” the leaders vowed.
BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal said the incumbent government has ignored Balochistan and did not pay attention to the province’s issues. “Instead of paying attention to our issues, they made fun of us,” he said.
Shehbaz said the government, which will be formed after PM Imran Khan’s ouster, would focus on the development of Balochistan.
“We will cooperate with BAP to resolve the issues of Balochistan […] we are thankful that four of their four MNAs are supporting us, and we are grateful for it,” he added.
Zardari said the “atmosphere” of the no-confidence motion is prevailing and the joint opposition would make sure that Shehbaz becomes the prime minister “soon”.
“Balochistan has been kind towards me. We will also try to bring a minister from Balochistan [in the Centre],” the former president said.
Fazl said Imran Khan has become a “burden” on the “masters” who had “made” the prime minister. “Imran Khan should cry over his failures; it is the US, Israel, and Europe’s mistake to impose him.”
