Sarfraz Bugti still eyes '33 votes' despite being nominated ‘unopposed’ for Balochistan CM

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) went for the final phase of forming its government in the province as its candidate Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti has been nominated "unopposed" for the Balochistan CM’s post.

“No other candidate has filed nomination papers till the expiry of the deadline on Friday at 5pm,” according to Balochistan Assembly secretary Tahir Shah Kakar.

However, the assembly would hold polling for the CM election tomorrow (Saturday) as Bugti still needs the support of 33 lawmakers despite being nominated unopposed, Kakar added.

Bugti, who served as former caretaker interior minister and ex-senator, submitted four nomination papers for Balochistan’s chief ministership.

The politico had resigned as the caretaker interior minister in December last year and joined the Bilawal-led party to contest the general election 2024. Later, he also resigned from his senatorship after winning a Balochistan Assembly seat.

The candidate for the province’s top political position has been proposed by the PPP, and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, including Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri, and Sardar Sarfaraz Chakar Domki.

According to the preliminary results of the 2024 nationwide elections, the Nawaz-led party sat in the top position after winning 11 Balochistan Assembly seats, equivalent to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) seats, whereas, the Bilawal-led party grabbed victory on 10 seats.

The PML-N and the PPP formed an alliance post-election and decided to support each other in forming governments in the Centre, and the provinces.

However, Maulana Fazlur Rehman — the JUI-F emir and former ally of the ruling party — announced not to become part of any government in protest against the February 8 poll results despite multiple attempts by the former allies to gain his confidence.

Following the alliance and winning majority in Sindh, the PPP announced to form its government in Balochistan with the backing of the PML-N, the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and the Awami National Party (ANP) as its major coalition partner in the province.