QUETTA, April 1: Balochistan caretaker Chief Minister Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Barozai met Mehmood Khan Achakzai, chief of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, on Monday and sought his party’s cooperation for ensuring peaceful elections in the province.

The caretaker chief minister is meeting political leaders to seek their support for maintaining law and order during the election process.

He had earlier met Sardar Akhtar Mengal of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, a leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and others.

According to sources, Mr Barozai and Mr Achakzai were of the view that peaceful environment would be necessary for holding the elections in Balochistan in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Mr Achakzai expressed reservations about induction into the cabinet of the nominees of parties that had remained part of the Nawab Aslam Raisani-led coalition government over the past five years. He assured Mr Barozai of his party’s cooperation for holding elections peacefully.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Barozai said law and order problems and clashes had always occurred during the past elections but his government would use all its resources for avoiding such a situation.

In reply to a question, he said the provincial cabinet would be sworn in soon.

The caretaker chief minister also met retired Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch of the PML-N, Mir Akhtar Lango of the BNP-M, Maulana Abdul Samad Akhundzada of the JUI-F and Mian Saifullah Khan Paracha of the PPP.

Mr Barozai visited the residence of Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara where leaders of his community informed him about their problems. The chief minister said steps would be taken to provide security to the Hazara community and solve its problems.