At a Crossroads

Budget delayed as power tussle continues between govt and opposition

The Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) has been divided into two factions due to the power tussle within its ranks. Created just a few weeks before the 2018 general elections, the BAP helmed the locally popular of ‘Balochistan’s Development’ to counter Baloch nationalists in the wake of the increasingly deteriorating law and order situation in the province. However, it was a tough road ahead. A tug-of-war existed within the party from day one, fueled by the nomination of Jam Kamal Alyani for the party’s President and the its Chief Minister candidate.

Chairman Senate Sadiq Sunjrani, a blue eyed boy of Islamabad, wanted his lieutenant Qudoos Bezenjo in the office of CM, while some circles installed Jam Kamal against his wishes and Bezenjo as Speaker Balochistan Assembly. Bezenjo was appointed as the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentary group in December, 2017 against then CM Nawab Sanaullah Zahri. Ultimately, the latter was ousted and the former was elected as CM. During the six-month tenure of Bezenjo, Sunjrani enjoyed all powers in Balochistan by using the CM’s office for his construction business. Sunjrani, also using his offices in Islamabad, had been creating problems for Jam Kamal despite his reputation of being a good administrator.

In October, 2021 Sunjrani succeeded in replacing Jam Kamal with his lieutenant Bezenjo, who holds the reputation of never saying no to anyone and for having no spine. He remains absent from his office for days and for this, he enjoys sway over a 24-member opposition comprising the 11 members of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), nine members of the Baloch National Party Mengel (BNP-M), one member of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), as well as, two CMs Nawab Sanaullah Zahri and Nawab Aslam Raisani. He attained the art of winning over opposition parties by surrendering all development funds under Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) to all assembly members both of treasury and opposition benches.

That is why opposition members of the Balochistan Assembly, who otherwise make tirades over the budget on the assembly floor against the sitting government, are praising Bezenjo for presenting what they term as a balanced budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Apart from this, the assembly members are not accountable on any forum for their expenditure from the PSDP funds. Additionally, they are not responsible for the posting and transfer of any civilian officer if this official is found to be of an ill-reputation or is facing cases of corruption at the National Accountability Bureau. Meanwhile, the CM secretariat has no permanent Principal Secretary. An additional secretary, who was appointed as a clerk on contract basis in 2002 and was an assistant in 2010 and 2012, is running the show in the absence of a career bureaucrat. No MPA seems to have any complaints about this junior officer, who is also facing NAB references. This is because the official is well known for by bypassing all rules and regulations to make matters possible.

This time the present government couldn’t finalise the provincial budget due to in-flighting among the ruling coalition partners and opposition parties seeking more funds. The government has been changing the date for presenting the budget in the Assembly which was in fact to be tabled in the House on June 17.

Jam Kamal, allies from his own party and allies like Awami National Party, as well as, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) submitted a ‘No Confidence’ motion against CM Bezenjo. However, the opposition parties, particularly the BNP and JUI-F, came to his rescue by not supporting the move contrary to their promise to Jam Kamal and the PDM, made at the time of No Confidence move against former Premier Imran Khan. Again Sunjrani who also enjoys good relations with the BNP and JUI-F approached Sardar Akhtar Mengal, saving Bezenjo. Mengal called JUI-F Amir Maulana Fazul Ur Rahman and asked him not to bring change in Balochistan at this juncture. The JUI-F Amir agreed and passed the directions to his party to stay away from the No Confidence move by Jam Kamal, leading to the motion failing, as it couldn’t be even gather the 14 members required to table the move.

After the failure of No Confidence motion by the opponents within the BAP, the senior leaders of the party, mainly Senator Saeed Ahmad Hashmi and acting Governor Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, hastily called a party convention on June 18. During the convention they elected Benzejo as the party chief. This is in fact an award for his services to members, both of opposition and government, for providing them an atmosphere of “free for all.”

During the same convention, Senator Munzoor Kakar was elected as the party’s Secretary General, while for Local Government Minister Sardar Saleh Bhootani and Planning and Development Minister Noor Mohammad Domar, as Provincial President and General Secretary respectively. No proper election schedule for the party head was issued, rather the whole process was carried out in an open workers convention in which all workers supported the nomination of the CM as party’s supremo, as well as, the other nominations.

Two MPAs of Jam Kamal group, Zahoor Buledi and Nawabzada Tariq Magsi, also participated in the ruling group convention probably due to the fear of not being deprived of their share from development fund. CM Bezenjo also paid a visit to the residence of the PTI renegade member Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind and apparently won over him.

Jam Kamal, who still claims to be President of the party, had announced a convention of his own group on August 9, much before the convention of opponent group. He had also issued a proper election schedule, including the submission of nomination papers, their scrutiny and objections to polling. Jam Kamal has also embarked on a tour of different areas to mobilise the party, as preparations for his August convention are underway. It is yet to be seen how he would make his show without being power.