• Home
• /
• World

Nawab Sanaullah Zehri is new Balochistan CM, Rahila Durrani is speaker

Islamabad - In a related development, Rahila Hamid Durrani of the same party was elected unopposed the first female speaker of the Balochistan Assembly.

Nawab Sanaullah Zehri of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) was elected Balochistan chief minister unopposed on Thursday after Dr Abdul Malik Baloch resigned from the post a day ago.
In a related development, Rahila Hamid Durrani of the same party was elected unopposed the first female speaker of the Balochistan Assembly.
The change in the province's top slot comes as part of the Murree Accord between the PML-N and Baloch parties - PkMAP and the National Party (NP) - that are part of the PML-led coalition government in the province. Under the pact, agreed to in 2013, the PML-N gave up its claim to head the ruling coalition in the province and nominated Dr Abdul Malik, the president of the National Party, for the post of chief minister during first half of the 5-year term.
Baloch submitted his resignation on Wednesday honouring the agreement and pledged full cooperation to Zehri.
The provincial assembly voted overwhelmingly to endorse Zehri's election as leader of the house who was later administered oath of the office by Balochistan Governor Mohammed Khan Achakzai.
Rahila Durrani had been elected as a member of the Balochistan Assembly on the ticket of the PML-N on a special seat for women in the 2013 general elections.
Addressing the assembly, Zehri said he will continue to carry forward the policies of his predecessor Dr Malik Baloch and will make efforts to improve governance in the province.
He said grievances of Balochistan's people would be addressed with the development and progress of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will arrive to inaugurate CPEC route on December 30.
"Let's come for peace, we are ready for dialogue," Zehri said while referring to political reconciliation in Balochistan. He, however, made it clear that no compromise would be made regarding the attacks at security forces and civilians in Balochistan.
He said attacks against Hazara community would not be tolerated anymore.
news@khaleejtimes.com 

• Pakistan