PPP candidate Sarfraz Bugti elected as Balochistan chief minister

BALOCHISTHAN: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate Sarfraz Bugti was elected as Balochistan Chief Minister on Saturday, bagging 41 votes in his favour, reported The News International. The Balochistan Assembly elected Bugti, with 41 votes in his favour, while four lawmakers skipped the voting.

PPP candidate Bugti is now set to take the oath today at the Governor's House at the swearing in ceremony. Balochistan Governor Abdul Wali Kakar will administer the oath to the newly-elected chief minister, according to The News International.

He submitted his nomination papers before the deadline's end on Friday after his party's chairman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, named him as their CM nominee.

Moreover, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have also supported him, including Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri and Sardar Sarfaraz Chakar Domki.

Reportedly, Bugti resigned as the caretaker interior minister in December last year and joined the Bilawal-led party.

He has also pledged to take all parties on board for development and prosperity in Balochistan and launched efforts to improve governance to resolve other issues, The News International reported. After submitting his nomination papers on Friday, he said that the PPP believes in dialogue and has always resolved issues through negotiations.

He further urged the dissatisfied people to join the mainstream and play their role in the country's development. The newly elected Chief Minister emphasised the need for talks with the opposition parties for the development of Balochistan.

He said positive criticism would be welcomed and urged that destructive politics be avoided in the broader interest of the country, as reported by The News International.

He added that a consensus would be developed with the opposition to bring Balochistan forward and his door would always be open for talks. He said a roadmap would be shared for sustainable development and resolving the common challenges of the province, but added that he had no idea of the two-and-a-half-year government formula.

Moreover, Bugti thanked the PPP chairman and co-chairman for nominating him for the chief minister's position.