Balochistan Awami Party

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Balochistan Awami Party
بلوچستان عوامی پارٹی
Balochistan People's Party
AbbreviationBAP
PresidentJam Kamal Khan[1][2]
General SecretaryManzoor Ahmed Kakar[1]
SpokespersonAbdul Rehman Khetran[3]
Vice PresidentZahoor Ahmed Buledi[1]
FounderSaeed Ahmed Hashmi[4]
Founded29 March 2018 (2018-03-29)
IdeologyPakistani nationalism
Federalism
Islamic democracy
Political positionCentre[5]
Colors  Olive drab
Senate
12 / 100
National Assembly
5 / 342
Balochistan Assembly 
24 / 65
KPK Assembly
4 / 145
Election symbol
Cow[4]
Cow (12541) - The Noun Project.svg
Party flag
Balochistan Awami Party flag.png
Website
Official website

Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) (Urdu: بلوچستان عوامی پارٹی (ب‌ع‌پ)); "Balochistan People's Party") is a political party based in the Balochistan province of Pakistan founded in 2018 by political dissidents of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) in Balochistan.[6]

The party emerged as the largest party in Balochistan as a result of the 2018 Pakistani general election. It leads a coalition government in the province and is also a part of the ruling coalition in the National Assembly. It also has 4 elected members in the KP Assembly.

Origins[]

On 24 December 2015, Sanaullah Zehri of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Balochistan. His tenure lasted for two years, until on 2 January 2018, dissident MPAs of his own party rebelled against him and decided to support the opposition in a motion of no confidence against him. Fearing defeat, Zehri resigned as Chief Minister on 9 January 2018, and was replaced 4 days later by Abdul Quddus Bizenjo on 13 January. This was largely seen as a setback for the PML-N in the province.[7][8]

Two months later in the Senate elections, the PML-N failed to secure a single seat in the province. Instead, independents supported by the new provincial government won 6 out of the 11 seats that were up for election. This was seen as another setback for the PML-N.

Furthermore, this group of senators, with the support of the provincial government, decided to launch their own candidate for the Election of Chairman in the senate. This group secured the backing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Pakistan Peoples Party and many other parties which allowed them to elect their candidate Sadiq Sanjrani as Senate Chairman, securing 57 out of 103 votes.[9]

Foundation[]

Following these events, rumours emerged of a new political party being formed. On 29 March 2018, Saeed Hashmi and Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar announced the creation of the BAP and declared that it had the support of 32 out of 65 lawmakers in the Balochistan Assembly.[10]

On 16 May 2018, the party elected Jam Kamal Khan, former Federal Minister of State for Petroleum, as their leader.[11]

Elections[]

2018 election[]

The party has only fielded candidates in one election since its founding: the 2018 Pakistani general election. In the election it fielded 67 candidates on all of the general seats in Balochistan, of which 19 were elected (15 PA, 4 NA).

This result allowed the party to form the provincial government in the province. As well as this, they also aided the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in forming the federal government by supporting them with their 5 MNAs.[12]

Electoral performance[]

Senate of Pakistan[]

Election Leader Seats Position Resulting government
# ±
2018 Sadiq Sanjrani
10 / 104
 Increase - 5th Opposition coalition
2021 Jam Kamal Khan
13 / 100
 Increase 3 4th PTI coalition

National Assembly[]

Election Leader Votes Seats Position Resulting government
# % # ±
2018 Jam Kamal Khan 319,348 0.60
5 / 342
 Increase 5 5th PTI coalition

Balochistan Assembly[]

Election Leader Votes Seats Position Resulting government
# % # ±
2018 Jam Kamal Khan 446,795 24.59
24 / 65
 Increase 24 1st BAP coalition

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Balochistan CM Alyani denies stepping down as BAP chief". Dawn (newspaper). 12 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Jam Kamal backtracks from resignation as BAP president". Dunya News. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "BAP spokesman Abdul Rehman Khetran alleges CM Jam Kamal of horse trading". Dunya News. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b "BAP's election symbol changed to 'cow'". Dawn. 10 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Bugti confirms new political party to be announced soon". Express Tribune. 24 March 2018.
  6. ^ "PML-N dissidents, independents launch 'Balochistan Awami Party'". Dawn. 29 March 2018.
  7. ^ Shah, Syed Ali (9 January 2018). "Sanaullah Zehri resigns as Balochistan chief minister amid political crisis". Dawn.
  8. ^ Shah, Syed Ali (13 January 2018). "Abdul Quddus Bizenjo sworn in as new chief minister of Balochistan". Dawn.
  9. ^ "Sadiq Sanjrani: Pakistan's first senate chair from Balochistan". Al Jazeera. 13 March 2018.
  10. ^ "New political party launched in Balochistan". Geo News. 29 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Jam Mir Kamal gets elected BAP chief, urges unity for Balochistan's rights". Dawn. 17 May 2018.
  12. ^ "BAP announces support for PTI in National Assembly". Geo News. 31 July 2018.
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