QUETTA: Caretaker Prime Minister Justice (retd) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso on Wednesday appreciated the nationalist parties for taking part in the coming general elections.

“It can be deemed as a positive step towards the sustainable development and prosperity of the country in general and Balochistan in particular that akin to other mainstream political parties, nationalists are also taking part in the election,” said the premier.

He was talking to the leaders of various political parties, including Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), National Party and Awami National Party at the governor house in Quetta.

Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi was also present on the occasion.

Prime Minister Khoso said that for the first time in the history of country, electoral process was continuing uninterrupted under the supervision of a credible Election Commission.

Contesting polls by the political tycoons in Balochistan shows people's confidence in the independent Election Commission and an impartial caretaker government, he added.

“My visit to Balochistan is a clear message that the caretaker government wants to hold free, fair and transparent elections by taking along all the political parties,” he stressed.

Underlining the need for a conducive and peaceful environment for elections across the country, mainly in Balochistan, Khoso said that the officials of departments concerned had been issued directives for taking adequate steps in that connection.

The prime minister said that people living no matter in which part of the country would feel free to elect representatives of their choice by franchising the right of vote.

Prominent among those, who met the prime minister, included Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch and Hasil Bizinjo of National Party, Jan Ali and Babo Amin Umrani of PPP, Mir Naseer Khan Mengal and Saeed Ahmed Hashmi of PML-Q and Zamaruk Khan and Oranzaib Kasi of ANP.