In a letter to Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Imran Khan, the party’s Balochistan chief and parliamentary leader Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind complained of negligence towards the genuine issues of Balochistan and tendered his resignation as a result thereof.
He claimed that although he was made special assistance on gas and power affairs in Balochistan, he was “never consulted in any provincial matter, nor was he invited to meetings regarding the given issues in Islamabad”, which compelled him to quit his portfolio. The Baloch chief brought before the media that it was his second time that he was submitting resignation, adding that he took back his previous resignation after “PM assured him of resolving the province’s issues”.
The letter further read, “My voter[s] and supporters are approaching me for [the] redressing of the grievances. During our last meeting, I pointed out my genuine grievances to your honor and … none of them [have been] resolved.”
He said that the premier was ignoring him in his request to safeguard the interests of the people of Balochistan, which, he maintained, was making it difficult for him to continue with the task of special assistance, which meant “nothing” when it came to practical work.
In a news show, Rind alleged that the Jam government was shifted because “three contractors and some others from Islamabad made Quddus Bizenjo the CM”, adding that the government was “changed for three-and-a-half billion rupees”. He further said that despite the fact that he claimed it live in TV, it did not bring any effect or reaction from the government. “No one noticed that ministry was sold in Balochistan, departments were bargained, auction took place of secretaries,” he said. Even grade-7 [post] was sold there, he pronounced. “Minister’s portfolios were sold there, secretaries were sold and money has already been taken for transfer-postings,” the PTI provincial chief briefed the anchorperson in the TV show.
The Baloch chief alleged that the Senate seats were sold for Rs700 million. He questioned the premier why he was not telling the media and the masses the names of senators who spent Rs700 million to get seats in the Upper House. He maintained that firstly they were given the tickets; then the tickets were taken back; and then again the same PTI’s MPAs and coalition parties voted for them and brought them to the House. “I wonder why Mr. Khan does not bring everything in public and does not de-seat them,” he said, adding that if the premier was honestly committed to end corruption in the country, he would be the first to stand by him.
While speaking to MinuteMirror, a spokesperson for Rind said that the Baloch chief submitted his resignation four months ago, but the premier did not accept it, promising that the complaints would be addressed. “After four months, there has been nothing, which compelled Sardar to resign,” he added. The spokesman briefed that the resignation letter was sent to the PM on March 1, but the decision on it was awaited.
When asked if Rind had been approached by other political parties, the spokesperson remarked that different parties’ leadership had asked for meetings with the chief in order to extend an invitation for defection. “As Sardar is a senior politician who had been a member of parliament for nine times, he is looking forward to a political end of his career with the PTI,” he said.
