Cracks emerge as BAP elects ‘new chief’
The ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) split into two factions after Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo was elected the new party chief in intra-party elections, which took place here on Sunday.
The meeting of the General Council was convened by the Parliamentary Leader of the BAP in the Assembly of Baluchistan, Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, to hold intra-party elections.
But the exercise was rejected by former Baluchistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, who described the meeting of the General Council of the BAP as “illegal”, stating that the meeting of the General Council could only be convened by the party president.
‘I am the president of the party and I was not consulted to call the general council meeting,’ said Mr. Alyani, adding that the BAP’s General Council meeting will now be held on August 9 in Quetta.
Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo rejected Mr. Alyani’s stand and held the General Council meeting. The meeting was attended by party leaders, MPAs, and members of the General Council as well as the leader of the party’s organization, Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali.
Senator Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, the founder of the party, was not in attendance because of COVID-19.
The chairman of the Senate, Mir Sadiq Sanjrani, the federal minister Sardar Israr Ahmed Tareen, and senators of the party were also present.
According to the party’s announcement, Mr. Bizenjo was elected president of the party without opposition, while Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar was elected secretary-general of the party without opposition.
Sardar Muhammad Saleh Bhootani, senior minister for local government was elected Provincial President while Noor Muhammad Dummar as the General Secretary of the party. At the end of the election, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Ejaz Sanjrani, distributed ceilings, silences, and insignia to the newly elected office-bearers.
The acting governor of Balochistan and Balochistan Awami, the party’s chief organizer, Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, has sworn in the new office-holders.