QUETTA, Aug 8: The Jamhuri Watan Party said on Sunday that National Security Council Secretary-General Tariq Aziz had conveyed to its chief Nawab Akbar Bugti the federal government's intention to hold meetings with political leaders of Balochistan and ascertain their views on development projects in the province.

In a statement issued here, JWP Secretary-General Agha Shahid Hasan Bugti said Mr Aziz on Saturday discussed with Nawab Bugti at Dera Bugti the development projects, including the Gwadar port.

He quoted Mr Aziz as saying that the government wanted to identify the development schemes that fulfilled the needs and wishes of the people so that those could be implemented.