QUETTA, May 13: The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and National Party (NP) — the three major parties in Balochistan which have won 26 of the 51 general seats of the provincial assembly — have begun contacting other groups for the formation of a coalition government.

The PkMAP has emerged as the largest party in the assembly having clinched 10 seats. The PML-N has secured nine seats and the Baloch nationalist National Party seven.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam has got six seats, while the PML-Q, which was the largest party in the previous assembly with 19 seats, has won only four.

The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) has won two seats and the Awami National Party (ANP), BNP-Awami (BNP-A), Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen and Jamote Qaumi Movement one each.

Seven independent candidates have succeeded and the results of some seats are yet to be announced.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) could not win any national or provincial assembly seat in Balochistan. The PPP had won 15 seats of the provincial assembly and six of the NA in the 2008 elections.

The PkMAP, PML-N and National Party appear to be in a position to form the provincial government.

After the allotment of the reserved seats for women and religious minorities, the combined strength of the three parties will increase to 36 in the house of 65 and they will be able to comfortably form government.

The strength of the PML-N may further increase as some of the independent members are likely to join it.

According to sources, some independent members have already approached PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif. However, the sources said, Mr Sharif would form a committee for holding negotiations with independent members and leaders of other parties for forming the government in Balochistan.

The sources said the leaders of the PkMAP and the PML-N had been in contact with each other.

The PML-N had supported PkMAP chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai in the National Assembly constituency NA 259, Quetta, and withdrawn its candidate in favour of Mr Achakzai.

The PkMAP also had an understanding with the National Party and the latter had withdrawn its candidate in favour of Mr Achakzai.

Four names are circulating in the provincial capital for the post of chief minister — former Senate deputy chairman Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Nawabzada Mir Jangez Khan Marri of the PML-N and Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai of the PkMAP.

Mr Jamali served as chief minister in 1998 when Mr Sharif was the prime minister.

The name of BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal was being mentioned for the post before the elections.