All Balochistan parties taking part in elections: ECP secretary

Balochistan caretaker CM meets chief election commissioner, assures support for free, fair elections.

QUETTA: Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Ishtiaq Ahmed expressed contentment on Thursday over the fact that all political parties in Balochistan have decided to take part in the upcoming general elections.

“The interim chief minister of Balochistan told the chief election commissioner that all political parties of the province will be taking part in the upcoming elections. This is a very positive and important development,” he told the media.

“Earlier, Akhtar Mengal also had reservations, but now he has decided of taking part in elections,” Ahmed added.

The secretary further said that Caretaker CM Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Barozai met with Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim in Quetta and discussed all aspects of the upcoming elections.

“He assured the CEC of helping the election commission in holding free, fair and transparent elections with the help of all government functionaries,” he added.

The CEC had gone to Quetta on Wednesday on a mission to pacify Baloch political leaders and persuade them to participate in the upcoming elections.

The CEC, along with other members of the commission, met the leadership of 13 parties, including the National Party Balochistan, Balochistan National Party (Awami), Balochistan National Party (Mengal) Hazara Democratic Party, Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl).