The Bahrain government will lift a ban on the second largest opposition party Waad, the group said on Saturday, ahead of a national dialogue to ease the kingdom's political crisis.

The state news agency BNA quoted the Justice Ministry as saying steps were being taken to lift the ban.

Authorities had shut down Waad, a leftist party aligned with opposition group Wefaq, in April amid a crackdown by security forces on protesters.

Waad spokesman Radhi al-Mousawi said the government would lift the ban on its headquarters in Manama on Saturday and later on its office Muharraq.

Mousawi said the group had sent a statement to the government welcoming the political dialogue, set by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa to begin on July 1, and also asked for the king to look into the case of Waad's detained leader.-Reuters