QUETTA: The newly elected chief minister of Balochistan, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, said he will continue to carry forward the policies of his predecessor Dr Malik Baloch and will make efforts to improve governance in the province.

Zehri of the PML-N was elected Balochistan chief minister unopposed on Thursday after Dr Baloch resigned from the post on Wednesday.

The chief minister, while addressing the assembly, said grievances of Balochistan’s people would be addressed with the development and progress of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will arrive to inaugurate CPEC route on December 30.

"Let's come for peace, we are ready for dialogue," Zehri said while referring to political reconciliation in Balochistan. He, however, made it clear that no compromise would be made regarding to the attacks at security forces and civilians in Balochistan.

He said attacks against Hazara community would not be tolerated anymore.

Later in the day, Balochistan Assembly unanimously adopted a confidence resolution in support of the newly elected chief minister.

The resolution was tabled by member provincial assembly Rahim Ziaratwal and supported by all 54 members present in the house.

The change in the province’s top slot comes as part of the Murree Accord between the PML-N and Baloch nationalist parties – PkMAP and the National Party (NP) – that are part of the PML-N led coalition government in the province.

Under the pact, agreed to in 2013, PML-N gave up its claim to head the ruling coalition in the province and nominated Dr Abdul Malik, the president of National Party, for the post of chief minister.

Malik was to remain the chief executive for half a term, which ended earlier this month. Tendering his resignation to Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Malik said:

“As per the Murree agreement, I have stepped down from the post of chief minister.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after consulting his allies had already nominated provincial president of PML-N, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, as the next chief minister of Balochistan.

“I will try to take all political forces into confidence regarding major issues,” Zehri said after being elected as the chief minister.

He congratulated the newly-elected woman speaker of Balochistan Assembly, Rahila Durrani, and vowed to empower women in the province. “We respect women in Balochistan as per our strong tribal traditions.”

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Pakistan's largest province — which borders Iran and Afghanistan — is riven by sectarian strife and an insurgent movement. Baloch separatists demanding more autonomy and control over gas and mineral resources have frequently targeted security forces and police for years.

The province's roughly seven million inhabitants have long complained they do not receive a fair share of its gas and mineral wealth.

Newly-elected Chief Minister Zehri has announced to pursue a policy of political reconciliation, following outgoing CM Malik's footsteps, and pave way for a negotiated settlement to issues relating to Balochistan.

Zehri recently held a series of meetings with self-exiled Baloch leader Khan of Kalat in London and requested him to return to the country to play his due role in restoring peace in the volatile province.