QUETTA, Oct 5: The Balochistan government has deplored the attitude of certain political parties and personalities giving a political colour to an incident in which a man was caught in Nushki with national identity cards and forms.

“They are trying to prove that all it is done at the behest of the people on the top in the Balochistan government,” a handout said.

The provincial government was trying to hold elections in a free, fair and impartial manner, a spokesman said.

He denied involvement of any official in the racket.

The spokesman said that one Shahid Baig arrested by the authorities for possessing bogus NlCs or forms was not from National Database and Registration Authority nor was he a government employee. On a lead provided by Shahid Baig, another man, Kamal Tayyab, was arrested, he said.

The district administration and police were investigating the matter and if any one was found guilty, he would be punished severely, the spokesman said.

He expressed the hope that the parties and leaders would not take political advantage of such issues. He called for cooperation of the political parties and leaders for making the election process smooth and orderly.

In Nushki, candidates for PB-40, Chaghai-II, walked out of their talks with Nadra Registration Director Ehsanullah Randawa.

The candidates had demanded immediate cancellation of all the NlCs issued provisionally or denial of voting right to their holders.

The Nadra official expressed his inability to cancel such NlCs without any proof and said it was beyond his powers.

The candidates said that the official was helpless and they had no complaint against functionaries of the registration office. However, the government should control such incidents as Shahid Baig was arrested with 672 forms, they said.

The district administration has arrested an employee of the NIC office, Barkat All, and the man who verified the cards, Kamal Tayyab.

Earlier, the Nadra registration director told newsmen that he had no power to withdraw or cancel the NICs. He said Nadra could take such an action if proof was provided.