May 14, 2007	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 26, 1428

QUETTA, May 13: The Jamhoori Watan Party’s national convention on Sunday elected Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti as new party chief, who vowed to continue the struggle for complete autonomy for Balochistan within the parameters of the constitution.

Councilors from Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh and the NWFP approved Nawabzada Talal’s name that was proposed by Haji Ashraf Khan Kakar as new party chief.

The convention was held at the Bugti House here on Sunday.

Talal Bugti thanked the councilors for reposing confidence in his leadership to lead the JWP to accomplish

Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti’s mission. He said that he believed in constitutional struggle to achieve people’s rights and maintained that that he would make no compromise on principles.

Talking to reporters after the convention, he said that no sensible person could imagine supporting a president in uniform and stated that the

JWP, being an ARD component, would continue the joint struggle.

Announcing the party’s decision to participate in upcoming elections, he said that 60,000 bogus voter had been registered in electoral lists in Sui.

About the formation of a single Baloch party, Nawabzada Talal Bugti said that the JWP would take all decisions in consultation with proper party forums.

He dissolved all JWP bodies – from basic units to central level organs – and said that he would nominate office-bearers and executive committee members in consultation with senior party members to run the party’s affairs.

Nawabzada Talal said that statements pertained to JWP affairs would be issued from the Bugti House to avoid any confusion in the existing political situation.

He said that no one would be allowed to misuse the JWP name, in a reference to secret agencies’ bid to create differences among family members of late Nawab Bugti.

The convention was addressed by Faisal Mengal, Syed Mehdi Agha, Nurullah Watanyar from Balochistan, Shafqatullah from (NWFP), Mohammad Akmal Khaki (Punjab) and Mohsin (Sindh).