QUETTA, JAN 11 (DNA) – PML-N dissidents and PML-Q legislators — who forced Nawab Sanaullah Zehri to resign — have nominated former Balochistan Assembly deputy speaker Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo as the new chief minister of the province on Thursday.

The decision to this effect was taken during an important meeting held at the residence of a senior politician and former senator, Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, on Thursday evening.

“Yes, Qudoos Bizenjo will be the new leader of the house,” Hashmi confirmed. The formal announcement in this regard will be made shortly, he added.

Zehri had resigned as Balochistan chief minister on Tuesday after Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi remained unable to contain a mushrooming political crisis in the province. His resignation was promptly accepted by Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai

Opposition lawmakers were to table a no-confidence motion against CM Zehri in the provincial assembly the same day, but Zehri was reportedly asked to resign ahead of the session to spare his party — the PML-N — further embarrassment on the matter.

Nomination papers for the post of chief minister would be submitted to the provincial assembly on Friday morning and it is expected that Bizenjo will be elected on Saturday.

“With the support of like-minded legislators, Bizenjo will be easily elected as the new chief minister,” Hashmi elaborated.

Bizenjo belongs to the troubled Awaran district of Balochistan and was elected on a PML-Q ticket during general elections 2013. He won the seat, obtaining only 544 of the 57,666 registered votes in the constituency as turnout was an abysmal 1.18 per cent since the separatists had called for a boycott of the elections.

Bizenjo played a front-line role in submitting the no-confidence motion against Zehri on January 2.

Former chief ministers Sardar Saleh Bhootani and Jan Muhammad Jamali, who were among strong candidates for the slot, were also present during the meeting which reached a consensus to nominate Bizenjo.