QUETTA, Nov 5: The National Party has expressed strong opposition to a demand for dividing Balochistan into two provinces and termed the move a conspiracy.

"This demand is floated by agencies to divert the attention from the real issues of Balochistan," a statement issued by Mir Jan Mohammad Buledi, party's information secretary, here on Thursday.

He was responding to the demand for dividing Balochistan along ethnic lines floated by the Puhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and the Ulesi Jirga. It said that all Pukhtuns living the province were Balochistani and were enjoying equal rights. He said that the group had made its political role controversial by making such a demand.

The National Party's statement said that all nationalities happily living in Balochistan and were jointly struggling for the protection of the province's political and national interests and their struggle had forced the federation to form a parliamentary committee on issues pertaining to Balochistan.