Will part ways if demands not met, BNP to PTI

Mengal says ‘we are demanding justice for the people’ of Balochistan

QUETTA: Balochistan National Party-Mengal President Akhtar Mengal has vowed not to compromise with the federal government over his party’s six-point demands, saying “we have not asked for any such thing that will benefit the BNP or myself, instead we have been demanding justice for the people of the province”.

“This is not blackmailing. Blackmailing is when we demand ministries and high-level posts of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government in exchange for our support for them in the Centre. We didn’t demand anything for ourselves, but rights of the people of Balochistan,” said Mengal, who is also a member of the National Assembly, on Twitter on Sunday.

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“In order to address the woes of the people of Balochistan, a political solution is required otherwise it will be extremely difficult for peace to prevail,” said Mengal. “It should have been the priority of every government to work for peace in the province regardless of votes.”

The BNP-M has been pushing the PTI government since it came to power in August 2018 for the implementation of its six-point demands, in which, recovery of missing persons tops the agenda.

“People of Balochistan are deprived of basic facilities and due rights for decades,” said Mengal, warning the PTI government that the BNP-M would part ways if its demands were not implemented.

“Time is running out for the PTI government,” the BNP-M president tweeted.

On Sunday, Mengal visited the residence of Senator Hasil Khan Bizenjo in Naal and offered condolences over the sad demise of Hasil’s mother. He offered Fateha for the departed soul.

National Party leader and former provincial minister Sardar Aslam Bizenjo was present, while Hasil Khan was in Karachi.