QUETTA, Oct 7: A new party with the nomenclature of National Party has been formed after the merger of two political parties, the Balochistan National Movement (BNM) and the Balochistan National Democratic Party (BNDP).

The chief organizer of the party, Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, announced the launching of the party at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Deputy organizer Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, now merged BNDP’s former president Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Dr Malik Baloch, Dr Ishaq Baloch, Senator Aslam Buladi, opposition leader in the Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali Baloch and other party leaders were present on the occasion.

Dr Hayee said a 30-member working committee had been chosen which would hold the central convention of the National Party within next three months which, in turn, would elect the leadership of the new party.

He said after taking the leaders, workers and supporters in Balochistan and other parts of the country into confidence, the leadership of the two parties decided to dissolve their organizational structures and form a new political party.

The party, he said, would be a national-level party which would give a new lease of life to the nationalist and progressive politics not only in Balochistan but throughout the country.

He, however, observed that though it would be a national-level party yet Balochistan would be the centre of its politics and national question would be a matter of priority for it.

The National Party chief organizer said the party would continue to struggle for the restoration of the constitution, supremacy of parliament and achievement of the due rights of the federating units.

The rights of the federating units, he went on to say, should be honoured in line with the 1940 resolution and all resources and powers be divided on equitable basis between the federation and the provinces.

The National Party, Dr Hayee stressed, would not accept the Legal Framework Order (LFO) and continue to struggle against it as no general had the right to impose it on the people.

He further said that the party would also struggle for new boundaries of the federating units on geographical, historical and cultural basis, and raise voice to get ret of the tribal system to take Balochistan out of economic and cultural backwardness.

The party would support independent foreign policy and develop good relations with the neighbouring countries, he said.

Referring to the Gwadar deep seaport, the National Party chief organizer said the aim of this mega project was merely to convert the majority of Baloch people into a minority and plundering of their resources through establishing cantonments around Balochistan.

Replying to a question, he said they would support the stand of Sindh about the construction of Kalabagh Dam and Thal Grater Canal and struggle against the Okara military farms.