BNP chief questions transparency of July 25 polls

BNP mandate stolen from at least 12 constituencies, says Mengal

QUETTA: Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chief Akhtar Jan Mengal questioned the transparency of the July 25 polls and said the public's mandate and election results differ in the province.

Addressing a press conference in Quetta on Tuesday, Mengal likened the July 25 polls to the general elections of 1970 and demanded a commission to investigate the polls.



“The election results were delayed for 72 hours – it has never happened before despite previous election commissions lacking resources. Such delaying tactics creates doubts over the transparency of the electoral process,” he said. “Our mandate was stolen from at least 12 constituencies. The ECP has failed in its duty to guide the voters.”

The former Balochistan chief minister claimed that the results were a deliberate effort to prevent BNP from forming a government in the province.



Stating that the party was open to either forming a government and sitting in opposition, Mengal said BNP had been invited for dialogue by both Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Jahangir Tareen. He revealed that the BNP had formed two committees – one to focus on the situation in the national assembly and another for provincial legislature.

Mengal asserted that during the talks BNP will stand by its stance, including that on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the ownership of resources such as oil and gas. “Our demand also includes building a cancer hospital in the province.”