PkMAP leader surprised over NP’s ‘backtracking’ from Achakzai’s support in presidential election

QUETTA: Reacting to National Party President Abdul Malik Baloch’s announcement of support for Asif Ali Zardari, Pashtunkhwa Awami National Party (PkMAP) leader Abdul Qahar Wadan Saturday expressed astonishment and said that Baloch had promised to back PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai in the presidential election.

Speaking to the media in Quetta, Wadan stated that the PkMAP had received assurances of backing from the NP, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and independent candidates against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Zardari in the poll.

He also wondered that how the NP settled on eight demands, while they had 28 demands in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a coalition of various political parties.

Meanwhile, MPA Baloch said there was no confusion that the NP would sit in the opposition benches, but they would support Asif Zardari in the election as the majority of his party members favoured him.

NP earlier announced support for Zardari in the Senate and provincial assemblies. NP spokesperson Ali Ahmed Langove said after a discussion with the PPP they had agreed to his party’s eight demands including recovery of missing persons and implementation of 18th Amendment.

The spokesperson said they also agreed to give Balochistan a share from the revenue generated by the Gwadar port and dams’ construction.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council's (SIC) presidential candidate Achakzai is contesting the presidential poll against Zardari on Saturday (today).