On 9 January 2018, Abbasi visited Balochistan amidst a political crisis in the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan where both PML-N dissidents and opposition MPA's decided to present a motion of no confidence against Chief Ministers Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri. After Abbasi was unable to curb the PML-N dissidents, he advised Zehri to step down instead of facing a motion of no confidence, in order to stem the situation and to prevent the PML-N from disintegration in the province. Later that day, Zehri tendered his resignation which was immediately accepted.