ISAS Insights

The Balochistan Provincial Assembly moved to elect, with a vote of 41 out of 65, Mr Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, from a minority party as the new Chief Minister of the province. This was made possible through an open revolt by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers in the provincial assembly and colluding with opposition parties, thus compelling the incumbent Chief Minister Sanaullah Khan Zehri to resign for fear of facing a floor test in the assembly. This paper provides an in-depth understanding into the politics of Balochistan and examines the political developments in Balochistan. Given that the PML-N is the ruling party in Islamabad, allowing its legislators in Balochistan the right to dissent is a positive development towards the restoration of democracy and functional federalism in Pakistan.