QUETTA, May 17: Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and National Party (NP) have agreed to form a coalition government in Balochistan headed by the PML-N.

Sardar Sanaullah Zehri of PML-N, Syed Akram Shah of PkMAP and Dr Abdul Malik of NP announced the decision at a joint press conference here on Friday.

The PkMAP and NP leaders said they would support PML-N’s candidate for the post of chief minister.

They hoped that the formation of the coalition government would strengthen democracy and promote harmony in the province.

PkMAP secretary general Akram Shah said his party would join the coalition to improve security situation in the province, solve problems of the masses and strengthen democratic process. He said priorities of the government would be to end corruption, malpractices, financial irregularities and mismanagement.

NP chief Dr Abdul Malik said his party believed in resolving issues through dialogue. He said the coalition government would try to put an end to injustices and atrocities against the people of Balochistan.

PML-N provincial chief Sardar Zehri said his party would seek cooperation of all political stakeholders for resolving issues in Balochistan, adding that joint efforts would be made to solve problems of the people and improve their living conditions.

He thanked the leadership of PkMAP and NP for extending support to PML-N and hoped that their alliance would bring about a new era of progress and prosperity in Balochistan.