Coalition partners dismiss rumours of replacing Balochistan CM Bugti

QUETTA: Amid widespread speculation about a possible change in Balochistan’s political leadership, the ruling coalition partners — the PPP and the PML-N — have reiterated their confidence in Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, firmly denying any plans to remove him.

Rumours of a leadership shake-up intensified after reports claimed President Asif Ali Zardari was unhappy with Bugti’s performance and had declined to meet him during a recent visit to Dubai. The claims sparked debate in political circles about a potential shift in the province’s top office.

Senior lawmakers from both parties, however, moved quickly to counter the narrative, insisting that Bugti retains the full backing of the coalition.

Their statements come even as some PPP and PML-N leaders — including Ali Hassan Zehri, Mir Liaquat Ali Lehri and Nawab Changaiz Marri — have openly criticised the chief minister for failing to deliver on key governance issues and for not addressing the province’s deep-rooted challenges.

Though significant, the criticism appears to reflect internal frustration rather than an organised effort to unseat the chief minister. PML-N Parliamentary Leader Mir Saleem Khan Khosa and PPP Parliamentary Leader Mir Muhammad Sadiq Umrani categorically rejected Senator Mir Dostain Khan Domki’s claim that a change was imminent, calling it his personal opinion.

They stressed that neither party’s central leadership has initiated any discussion on replacing Bugti, nor do the coalition partners believe such a move is warranted.

Speaking to reporters after the provincial assembly session, Khosa said Balochistan is still struggling with longstanding issues related to law and order, service delivery and administrative weaknesses — all of which were discussed in detail during an in-camera briefing. He added that he has informed National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq about the controversy and expects the party leadership to seek clarification from Senator Domki over his “unauthorised” remarks.

PPP’s Umrani echoed these sentiments, acknowledging that while discontent exists within the coalition, the government remains unified on core objectives. He noted that disagreements are normal in politics, especially in a province dealing with entrenched structural problems, but cautioned against interpreting such differences as an attempt to topple the government.

Both leaders underscored that coalition governance in Balochistan requires patience, political maturity and ongoing dialogue. They urged the public not to confuse internal criticism with instability, insisting that the administration is stable and focused on tackling the province’s persistent challenges.