QUETTA: Newly sworn-in caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Ghaush Bakhsh Barozai Saturday vowed to bring peace in the province through merit and transparency in the upcoming general elections.

Barozai, in his maiden statement here, stressed the need for taking drastic measures to ensure peace, improved law and order situation, merit and transparency.

“We are heading towards future, which is going to be shaped with our wisdom,” he added.

He said that the caretaker government was duty bound to work for the prosperity of the largest province of the country.

Nawab Barozai urged the people to elect the best leadership. It was      high time that the civil society should be enlightened to take the right decision and elect future leadership, which take the province on the real path towards prosperous future.

Giving the roadmap of his government, he said all efforts would be focused on holding fair, free, impartial and transparent elections. “To me this is the only way to assure each and every stakeholder of this province to get into the mainstream and I will do my maximum to facilitate everyone and to take all stakeholders on board.”

Barozai said that the future of Pakistan was linked with a stable Balochistan. The province is a land of opportunities as it is an international economic corridor, with potential hub for South Asian economic activities in future.

Terming strong economy a prerequisite for prosperity, he stressed that only political stability would guarantee that the province's future was safe and prosperous in the days to come. “The only need is our commitment. I will remain committed to the sacred national cause till the last moment I will stay here,” he vowed.

He underlined the need for collective efforts and said that all the government functionaries, political parties, civil society, media and every one should join hands to bring peace to the land, which was known for its great traditions, peace and love.

He said negotiations were the only way to settle down any issue. “I am assuming office with a vision to put the province on right track through holding talks with those, who are striving for their rights,” he said and added that he had a roadmap for good governance and conduct of free fair and transparent elections in Balochistan.

Referring to law and order situation in Karachi and other areas of the country, he said if there was possibility of holding polls in the Sindh capital, where law and order was the worst, then why it was considered holding polls difficult in Balochistan where the situation was comparatively better, he said.

To a question, Barozai said that he had a long list of priorities. Good governance, issue of law and order, holding fair elections and establishing the writ of government would be the top most priorities of the caretaker government.

He urged the media to help the government in combating the issues faced by the people of the province.