QUETTA, Feb 27: The appointment of political heavyweight Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi as governor Balochistan indicates that the centre intends to initiate a reconciliation process to pacify the disenchanted people of the province.

Political observes here believe that Nawab Magsi’s appointment has been made with the consent of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) which has announced that its government will end the military operation in Balochistan.

Nawab Magsi’s younger brothers Mir Aamir Magsi and Mir Nadir Magsi wield considerable influence in the PPP.

He was also a strong candidate for the post of chief minister but a constitutional amendment against holding the post more than twice could bar him from the race.

A strong lobby in the Pakistan Muslim League-Q was said to be in favour of Nawab Magsi.

Sources said the appointment might tilt the situation in the province in favour of the PPP whose designated parliamentary leader Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani was in contact with other parties and independent MPAs to form a coalition government. PPP leaders are hopeful their effort will succeed.

The PML-Q is also expected to be satisfied with the appointment and there are reports that a group in the party is ready to join hands with the Pakistan People’s Party.

However, former chief minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf, who is again a contender for the post, claimed that the party was united and “we will form a government with the cooperation of our old allies”.

But one of the allies in the previous coalition government, the Balochistan National Party (Awami), is demanding that that the Pakistan Muslim League-Q should support its candidate for the chief minister’s post.

The Balochistan National Party (Awami) has appointed Syed Ehsan Shah as its leader in the provincial assembly.

A strong group of independent MPAs has declared that it will not support parties which were involved in the killing of nationalist leaders Nawab Akbar Bugti and Nawabzada Balaach Marri and which supported the military operation in Balochistan. “We will not support any party which was involved in the military operation and killing of Baloch leaders,” the group’s leader Sardar Aslam Bizenjo said.

Meanwhile, some PML-Q leaders indicated that Jaffar Khan Mandokhel might be elected the party’s parliamentary leader. Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind and Mir Asim Gello are also in the race.

Sources said the Pakistan People’s Party high command had also contacted former deputy speaker of Balochistan Assembly Mohammad Aslam Bhootani in connection with government formation.

Mr Bhootani met Nawab Raisani and Pakistan People’s Party leader Shafiq Ahmed Khan on Wednesday.

The sources said Mr Bhootani had reservations about Jam Yousuf and he would resist any move by the Pakistan Muslim League-Q leadership to impose a candidate for the post.

The number of PML-Q’s MPAs, it may be mentioned, has been reduced to 15 after the death of Malik Sarwar Khan Kakar and appointment of Nawab Magsi as governor.

A leader of the Mutttahida Majlis-i-Amal has also claimed that some independent members had contacted it. The MMA has seven members in the assembly and it has retained Maulana Abdul Wasay as its parliamentary leader.