QUETTA, Feb 25: Both factions of the Balochistan National Party have welcomed the apology tendered by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for the “atrocities and injustices” committed in the province.

Balochistan National Party-Awami chief Senator Mir Israrullah Zehri called upon the PPP leadership to play a conciliatory role after forming a government at the centre and resolve all issues through dialogue.

He said that political issues could not be resolved by force and talks were the only way out. He described the PPP’s stance on the Balochistan issue as positive.

Mr Zehri said his party had won five provincial assembly seats and a meeting would be held on Wednesday to nominate its parliamentary leader in the house.

He said his party would hold talks with the PPP, PML-Q and JUI-F for forming a coalition government. He hoped the coalition government would be able to solve people’s problems.

Balochistan National Party-Mengal leader Nahila Qadari also welcomed the apology, but said the Baloch people would not be satisfied till the rights of the province were fully recognised.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, she said that hundreds of political activists, including party chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Raisani Ittehad chief Mir Wahdood Raisani were being held unlawfully and ‘thousands of people’ were still missing. She called for practical steps for restoring normality in the province.

She said the Baloch political leadership was not against talks and peaceful means to resolve issues, but the ruling political groups were helpless before ‘the army establishment’.

She said the Baloch leadership would talk only with those leaders who would accept the demand for provincial autonomy and recognised the ownership right of a province over its resources.

Ms Qadari called for the immediate release of all political detainees, including Sardar Mengal and Wahdood Raisani, recovery of missing people and end to the military operation in the province.

She accused President Pervez Musharraf of being responsible for the killing of innocent people in military operations.