CM Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan resigns from post

• Governor House Secretariat confirms Kamal's resignation has been accepted.
• Jam Kamal steps down from post 12 hours ahead of the scheduled vote of no-confidence against him. 
• Following announcement, disgruntled members of BAP and Opposition celebrate their triumph by flashing victory sign. 

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QUETTA: Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan Aylani on Sunday evening decided to step down from his position, Provincial Minister for Sports, Abdul Khaliq Hazara, confirmed the news.

According to Geo News, Kamal's resignation has been accepted by Governor Balochistan, the Governor House Secretariat confirmed. 

Following Kamal's resignation, the provincial cabinet of Balochistan has been dissolved and now, a session of the provincial assembly cannot take place until the appointment of a new chief minister. 

It is pertinent to mention here that Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo had fixed October 25 for voting on the no-confidence motion against the CM Jam Kamal Khan.

Following the announcement, the disgruntled members of the BAP and the Opposition — who had gathered at Bizenjo's residence, celebrated their triumph by flashing a victory sign. 

Earlier in the day, four "missing" lawmakers of the provincial assembly had returned to announce that they would be joining the group of the Balochistan Awami Party's (BAP) disgruntled members, enabling the party to secure the required number in the provincial assembly to oust the Jam Kamal Khan-led government in the province.

The four MPAs, who had gone missing on the day when the disgruntled group had tabled the no-confidence motion in the assembly, arrived in Quetta on Sunday and declared their support for the group.

Addressing a press conference in the provincial capital, the group proved its majority as 39 out of the 65 lawmakers were present at the venue.

PPP’s leader and former chief minister of Balochistan, Sanaullah Khan Zehri, have also thrown his weight behind the disgruntled group. Speaking on the occasion, the splinter group’s Mir Zahoor Buledi thanked PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari for the support.

Later in the evening, Jam Kamal said that he had resigned from his post after consultation with other stakeholders.

"For the last one month, I had been a victim of ups and downs, challenges, and conspiracies," Kamal said, adding that during the "ordeal," his loyalists stood with him. 

'Jam Kamal will go home at all costs': Malik Sikandar

Speaking on the development, Leader of Opposition in the Provincial Assembly, Malik Sikandar Advocate, had said that Jam Kamal will have to "go home at all costs" because the splinter group now has the required number to oust him.

"All 40 members have decided to go to the provincial assemble together to cast the vote of no-confidence against Kamal," Sikandar had said, adding that the party will decide on a future course of action once Jam Kamal is sent packing.

"The upcoming government will be better than Kamal's government," Sikandar had promised.

80% of MPAs stand with us, says Kamal

A day earlier, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal, while expressing his confidence, had said that out of the 41 members of the Balochistan Assembly, 80% stand with him in opposition to the no-confidence motion moved against him two days back.

Taking to Twitter, CM Kamal had said 80% of coalition lawmakers in the provincial assembly — including from BAP, PTI, ANP, ADP, JWP, PPP, Azad, and BNP-A — support him.

"Why do we count opposition as part of this coalition? if they stick to this policy, then they should announce themselves as part of the Opposition too," CM Kamal had written.