Call for rights: Mengal slams govt over ‘denial’ to hold public gatherings

Condemns killing of innocent people in Quetta and Mastung

QUETTA: Balochistan National Party (BNP) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal has said that the government should abide by democratic norms and provide equal opportunities to all – especially the opposition parties – in holding public meetings in Quetta and elsewhere in Balochistan.

“The government had denied us public meetings in Quetta,” the former chief minister of Balochistan said while addressing a news conference at the Quetta Press Club on Thursday.

He said he first sought to hold a public meeting at the Hockey Ground, but the government refused to give permission, citing security issues. Later, “we changed the venue to Nawab Nauroz Khan Stadium, far away from the commercial district of Quetta, but again the government refused”, he added.



He said the government was denying democratic rights to the opposition parties.

The BNP chief took the lead in expressing his views on the prevailing political situation, saying, “We are democratic people and believe in democracy, but were denied holding public meetings in Quetta during the recent by-election and also afterwards”.

“The recent by-election in Chagai constituency proved beyond a doubt that we are true democrats who promote brotherhood among the people. We always opposed the autocratic and anti-democratic forces in all forms and expression and waged untiring struggle against them,” he told newsmen.

Condemning the target killing of innocent people in Quetta and Mastung, he called the bloodshed a proof of the government failure to protect the lives and honour of the people.

Mengal praised members of the electoral alliance under the BNP leadership, saying he was thankful that the political allies expressed their full support and trust in his party.

He said that the Awami National Party (ANP), the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), the BNP (Awami) as well as Pakhtuns, Balochs and Hazaras extended unqualified support to his candidate.

“Such a democratic alliance is a good sign and the allies had left a good example of political maturity and understanding,” he added.

He said the by-election results proved that the public mandate was robbed by the rulers in 2013 and handed over to those who did not enjoy the trust and confidence of the people.

The BNP president warned that if the people of Balochistan were denied democratic right to free and transparent elections, it could pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability.



He said if a ruler was facing corruption charges, he should immediately resign on moral grounds. He said a majority of people were calling for PM Nawaz Sharif’s resignation, but he was reluctant to step down despite “serious allegations” against him.

Speaking on the occasion, ANP’s provincial president Asghar Achakzai condemned the target killing in Mastung, Quetta and Chaman. “If the lives of senior most police officers are not safe, what will happen to the ordinary citizens and where should they go?”

He also complained that the ANP was not allowed to hold public meetings on two occasions in the past.

Hazara Democratic Party Chairman Abdul Khaliq Hazara also condemned the target killing in Mastung and Quetta, saying that the terrorists were trying to create misunderstanding among the brotherly people belonging to different ethnic groups.

National Party President Abdul Hayee Baloch declared that the present political alliance would be retained in Balochistan. “The government is spending billions of rupees and still there is lawlessness and killing of innocent people,” he added.