QUETTA, Aug 31: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday that the PPP and its allies had a clear majority in the presidential electoral college and its candidate Asif Ali Zardari would win the election comfortably.

Talking to newsmen after a series of meetings with parliamentary leaders in the Balochistan assembly, he said that the political vision of Mr Zardari had brought about stability in the country and forced a dictator to step down.

Leaders of the Balochistan National Party (Awami), Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) besides independent members in the provincial assembly assured the prime minister of their support for Mr Zardari.

Addressing members of the provincial cabinet, Mr Gilani said that problems of the province would be solved soon.

He expressed the hope that the Balochistan assembly would adopt a resolution in support of Mr Zardari.

The prime minister said his adviser on interior affairs Rehman Malik recently had visited Quetta and held talks with members of the provincial authorities on matters relating to the military operation and missing people in the province. “I will talk to party leadership for convening a multi-party conference on the Balochistan issue,” he said.

Mr Gilani said the government was against militants but was ready to work with those who were loyal to the country.

He said the federal government had allocated Rs42 billion in the public sector development programme for development projects in Balochistan.

When asked about the increasing overdraft of the province, he said the State

Bank Governor would visit Quetta on Monday and discuss the issue with the provincial authorities.

About the demand of writing off agriculture loans in Balochistan, he said the government would study the matter and take a decision soon.

Earlier, addressing members of the provincial assembly,

Mr Gilani said that after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto some anti-Pakistan elements wanted to dismember the country but Mr Zardari through his political vision foiled their designs.

The prime minister reiterated that there would be political harmony in the country if the prime minister and the president were from the same party.

He said the people of Balochistan had always rendered sacrifices for Pakistan.

Referring to the ouster of former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the prime minister said that the PPP was not against an individual but it had always struggled against forces which destabilised and toppled elected governments.

He said the country was facing manifold challenges and no party could overcome the situation on its own.

It is the responsibility of all political forces to work together to steer the country out of the crisis.