QUETTA, March 4: Six newly elected independent MPAs announced on Tuesday their unconditional support for the Pakistan People’s Party in its efforts to form a coalition government in Balochistan.

Sardar Mohammad Aslam Bizenjo, the leader of the group, made the announcement at a press conference here on Tuesday.

PPP leaders Syed Khurshid Shah, Ejaz Jakhrani, Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani, Mir Sadiq Ali Umrani, Haji Lashkri Khan Raisani and Mir Baz Khan Khetran were present on the occasion.

“Our support is unconditional and we believe that the PPP will fulfil the promises it has made about the recovery of the missing people, release of political leaders and ending military operation in the province,” Sardar Bizenjo said, adding that the group had taken the decision in the light of PPP’s promises.

Besides Sardar Bizenjo, the other MPAs are: Mir Qamber Gichki, Sardarzada Mir Rustum Jamali, Mir Shah Nawaz Marri, Zahoor Baloch and Sardarzada Mir Bakhtiar Domki.

Sardar Bizenjo said that the group was holding talks with other independent members and they would soon join hands with the PPP.

He said that in the Feb 18 elections, the government had used billions of rupees for the success of PML-Q candidates but the people had rejected them and elected candidates of the PPP, PML-N and other parties to express their complete rejection of the previous government’s policies.

He said that Ms Benazir Bhutto had announced that if the people voted the PPP to power, it would end the military operation in Balochistan and ensure that all missing people were produced before the court.

“I hope the PPP will honour all its commitments and resolve the problems of the people of the province,” Mr Bizenjo said.

Referring to the financial situation, he said if the PPP and its allies succeeded in forming a coalition government, they should hold an inquiry into the utilisation of public money, adding that the overdraft of the province had hit the Rs22 billion record.

Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani, the parliamentary leader of the PPP, welcomed the decision of the independent MPAs and assured them that the PPP would fulfil the promises the party had made to the people of Balochistan.

“Our aim is to bring about a change and serve the people of this province who have been badly neglected in the past,” Nawab Raisani said.