QUETTA: Mir Niamatullah Zehri, who was elected a MPA in the general elections as an independent candidate, announced on Sunday his joining of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

He announced the decision at a press conference after a long meeting with PTI’s Provincial President Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind.

With Mir Niamatullah Zehri’s joining of the party, the PTI’s strength in the Balochistan Assembly has climbed to six.

Five MPAs — Mir Omer Khan Jamali, Mir Nasibullah Marri, Sardar Babar Khan Musakhail, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind and Mobin Ahmed Khilji — have been elected on the PTI ticket.

Rind says his party will support BAP in Balochistan

Mir Niamatullah Zehri is younger brother of Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, former chief minister of Balochistan.

He was elected from PB-36 (Shaheed Sinkanderabad and Surab) as an independent candidate.

Mir Niamatullah Zehri said that after the PTI provincial president’s invitation, he consulted elders and voters of his tribe who allowed him to join the PTI.

“We have century-old relations with family of Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind and share lands and even graveyard with each other,” he said, adding that “Sardar Rind is like my elder brother Nawab Sanaullah Zehri and I hope Sardar Rind will help me in resolving problems being faced by the people of my area”.

While welcoming Mir Zehri’s joining of the PTI, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind that that PTI would support the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) in the formation of coalition government and it would give a vote of confidence to Jam Mir Kamal Khan Alyani.

He said that the BAP would support the PTI in formation of the government at the Centre.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2018