QUETTA: The National Party (NP) has announced withdrawing its candidate on NA-272 Lasbela-Gwadar in favour of former speaker of the Balochistan Assembly Muhammad Aslam Bho­otani. Mr Bhootani is contesting the election as an independent candidate while the PML-N candidate has already withdrawn in his favour.

NP president Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo announced this while speaking at a joint press conference with Mr Bhootani.

However, other parties, including Jam Mir Kamal Khan Alyani’s newly-formed Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), have fielded their candidates for the seat.

Mr Bhootani has not joined BAP though his elder brother Sardar Muhammad Saleh Bhoo­tani is contesting from his native constituency on a BAP ticket. The Bhootanis have won eight times from this constituency.

Hasil Bizenjo says his party will fight BAP and hidden forces behind it

The NP had decided not to field its candidate against Mr Bhootani, Mr Bizenjo said, adding the party would fight BAP and hidden forces which played an important role in its establishment.

Khurshid Rind belongs to NP, but he has filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate for NA-272 Lasbela-Gwadar.

After Mr Bizenjo’s press conference, Mr Rind withdrew his papers in Mr Bhootani’s favour.

While speaking on the occasion Mr Bhootani thanked the NP leadership for its support.

Furthermore, Mr Bhootani said he considered China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) an important project for the development of the region.

He said after elections his first priority would be to resolve the water crisis the port city had been facing for a long time.

He said he would also work for ending power loadshedding in Gwadar and adjacent areas. “Gwadar is the vital part of CPEC, but the city is still deprived of basic facilities. After elections my responsibility will be to become the voice of the people of Gwadar in National Assembly,” Mr Bhootani said.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2018