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QUETTA, Oct 21: The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) has become the largest party in Balochistan with 15 seats in the house of 51, when another independent MPA-elect joined the party on Monday.
Jafar Khan Mandokhel announced to join the party while speaking at a press conference at his residence. Provincial PML-Q President Jam Yousaf and a central leader of the party, Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, were also present on the occasion.
The independent candidate said that his all friends were in the PML-Q, that’s why he had decided to join the party. “Friendship is important in Balochistan while parties have no importance,” he said.
Now the PML-Q, with one seat ahead of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, is leading in the province.
But provincial PML-Q chief Jam Yousaf claims to have 16 MPAs of his party in the province, as he told reporters on the occasion that after the joining of the five independent MPAs-elect, the PML-Q had become the largest single party in the province having 16 member.
In reply to a question, he said parliamentary leader of the PML-Q would be elected soon after consultation with the National Alliance in the province, as the Quaid-i-Azam League was part of the alliance.
CLARIFICATION: A leader of the National Alliance, Sardar Yar Mohammed Rind, has dispelled the impression that the bloc was part and parcel of the PML-Q and said the alliance had its own identity.
Mr Rind, speaking to newsmen here on Monday, said the league had not even consulted the provincial leadership of the alliance while nominating the candidate for the provincial top slot.
“The PML-Q is trying for solo flight in Balochistan,” he remarked. However, he said his doors were open to all parties for talks about formation of future government in the province.
He said that while forming alliances and groups, partners were normally consulted, and only after taking collective decisions, contacts were established for campaigning to achieve common objectives.
In reply to a question about the future chief minister, Mr Rind said that for the time being, he was consulting the people concerned in this regard.
He had already met BNP-Mengal Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Dr Malik of the Balochistan National Movement the other day, alliance leader said.
Mr Rind also informed the newsmen that he met Jam Mohammad Yousaf, Balochistan PML-Q president, on Monday and discussed the issue of future government in the province.
Yar Mohammad Rind had contested election for the NA and PA seats and won both the seats with big margin. However, he has not so far decided as to which seat he would retain.
