Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has started consolidating itself in Balochistan as former chief minister Nawaz Sanaullah Zehri and former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader General (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch have decided to join the party along with their associates, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

In this connection, Zehri had a sitting with his political comrades and tribal elders, including Abdul Qadir Baloch, in which they had a detailed discussion on which party to join in order to continue their political careers. At the end of the meeting, they all decided to join the PPP.

Speaking to participants of the meeting via a video link, Zehri said while other politicians took decisions in their drawing rooms, he and his companions believed in giving importance to the people since they were popular leaders and preferred drawing room politics to consultations.

Former CM accused the former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif of dodging him. “Loyalty in simply not in Nawaz’s blood,” he remarked.

Thanking PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on the occasion for extending him and his associates invitation to join the party, he expressed the hope that both Bilawal and Zardari would continue to give him and his companions respect. “Otherwise, we all were thinking to form a party of our own,” he said, and added, “This is because we have the capability to form a party.”

He informed that he had told Zardari that he and those joining the party along with him would not let him down. “At the same time, we will not tolerate any disrespect,” he made it clear.

Sanaullah Zehri further said although he had conveyed to the PPP leadership that he and others were joining the party unconditionally, still they all were looking for positions in the party.

Abdul Qadir Baloch, on the occasion, accused the PML-N of insulting women of Balochistan. “10 months have passed since I have left the party, but nobody has bothered to approach me,” former PML-N leader deplored.

However, a formal announcement in this connection will be made at a convention to be held in few days from now.

Contributed by Rizwan Saeed