QUETTA, April 25: National Party (NP) vice-president Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo said on Thursday that attacks could not stop his party from contesting the general elections.

Speaking at a press conference here, he condemned attacks on the houses and convoy of NP leaders Dr Malik Baloch and Haji Salam, PML-N leader Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, BNP-Awami secretary general Asad Baloch and PPP leader Mir Umar Baloch.

He said attacks on the houses of tribesmen were against the traditions of the Baloch and cautioned that the assaults could pave the way for a civil war that would not be in the interest of the Baloch political struggle.

Mr Bizenjo said it was the right of militants to boycott polls and ask people not to cast their votes, but they had no right to stop forcibly other political groups from participating in the elections.

He asked his party workers to accelerate their election campaign and ignore threats of militants.

He criticised the caretaker government for not taking appropriate measures for maintaining law and order. The government should protect the lives of political leaders and provide security to the candidates who were facing serious threats, he added.

Mr Bizenjo said in some areas political activists and candidates were facing difficulties in continuing election campaign. However, he added, political forces had no other option but to face challenges to make the electoral process successful.