QUETTA, Jan 13: President Asif Ali Zardari has called a meeting of parliamentary leaders of coalition partners in the Balochistan government on Thursday in Islamabad.

“The message from the president about the meeting has been conveyed to all parliamentary leaders of the coalition government and members of the provincial assembly,” official sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

The Nawab Raisani-led coalition government has the support of 63, out of 65, legislators in the provincial assembly. The parties in the coalition government are: Pakistan People’s Party, JUI-F, Balochistan National Party (BNP-Awami), Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Awami National Party and a group of independent MPAs.

Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi has postponed the provincial assembly session scheduled for Thursday because of the meeting. According to an official statement, a new date would be decided later.

Sources said President Zardari would discuss with the legislators the forthcoming Senate election and muster their support. About half of the senators will retire in March after completing their six-year term.

At present the PPP has only one senator from Balochistan.

The sources said that besides the Senate election, the Balochistan legislators, to be led by Chief Minister Raisani, would discuss with the president issues related to the military operation, law and order, missing people and the financial crisis being faced by the province.