'Unseen forces' removed Balochistan CM, claims PML-N Senator Yaqoob Nasir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Yaqoob Nasir Friday claimed that some "unseen forces" played role in removal of Sanaullah Zehri as chief minister of Balochistan.

Speaking exclusively to Geo News, the PML-N senator said that those unseen forces cannot even be identified.

Nasir, who is also the senior vice-president of PML-N Balochistan chapter, said that to some extent, Asif Ali Zardari also had a part in Zehri's removal.

The PML-N senator said that Nawaz Sharif had asked Zehri not to step down at any cost and fight until the last moment, but he had resigned by then.

He said that the National Party had apprised them of not favouring [their] candidate for CM, due to which they did not field anyone.

Zehri stepped down from the post of Balochistan chief minister earlier this month, prior to a no-confidence motion being taken up against him in the provincial assembly.

The no-confidence motion was submitted against Zehri on January 2 by MPAs Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and Syed Agha Raza and had the signatures of 14 lawmakers.

In order to retain his position as chief minister, Zehri required the support of 33 members from a house of 65.

A political crisis developed in Balochistan following the no-confidence motion that saw the PML-N stepping up its efforts to defuse the situation and save its government in the province.

Following Zehri's resignations, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid's Abdul Quddus Bizenjo was elected and took oath as the chief minister of Balochistan. He is the third chief minister of the province in four-and-a-half years.

Bizenjo, besides his party, had the complete support of disgruntled members of the PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl).