BNP-M threatens to side with opposition

Party’s secretary general expresses discontent over slow progress on six-point demand

QUETTA: Senator and Secretary General of Balochistan National Party – Mengal (BNP-M) Jahanzaib Jamaldini has expressed concern over slow implementation of BNP’s demands, saying that party has the right to sit with the opposition if Prime Minister Imran Khan doesn’t fulfil them.

“Federal government isn’t serious in recovering missing persons while 6% quota in federal jobs is also being violated.  We have the right to walk away from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) alliance in the centre,” said Jahanziab Jamaldini while addressing a party meeting in Kalat on the death anniversary of Mir Nooruddin Mengal.

Jamaldini lambastes govt for ignoring province

Talking about Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Azadi march, the senator said the religious party is entitled to stage rallies and protest against the federal government.

“Intervention in parliamentary affairs would continue resulting in controlled-regimes in the country. A party was formed in Balochistan within a week while votes were also purchased for a certain party in the elections,” Balochistan National Party’s Secretary General added.

Jamaldini expressed concerns over burgeoning inflation in the country and asserted that PTI’s economic policies were harming the poor people instead of providing them any relief.

He lauded the party services of slain Nooruddin Mengal and added that BNP and the people of Balochistan will never forget his struggle.

Earlier, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) president Sardar Akhtar Mengal also expressed reservations over “slow implementation” on his six-point demands during the last one year and warned to part ways with the federal government if it continued to follow the precedent set by its predecessors as far as the Baloch issues were concerned.

Mengal said that the six-point agenda which was part of the agreement between the BNP-M and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a pre-condition for the former’s help in the latter’s bid to form government was a solution to the issues faced by the province since long.

The BNP-M chief was speaking to party activists after mourning the death of senior party leader Abdul Samad’s father in Karkh area of Khuzdar district.

In Balochistan, PA body stresses need for increasing Ushr fund in accordance with land

Responding to the allegations by his opponents that he was supporting the prime minister for personal gains, Mengal said, “The BNP-M had decided to sit with the PTI at the Centre after Imran Khan assured us that he would address Balochistan’s woes, not to serve our personal interests.”

He said that Rs40 million has been allocated for development of Karkh and that construction of two dams in the area would start in near future.

Mengal lauded the sacrifices the BNP-M activists had rendered for the party, saying “My workers are my true strength.”

“Today I have come to Karkh to offer condolences to Abdul Samad, but soon I will pay a proper visit to the area to meet the party workers and local people for ascertaining their problems,” he observed.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2019.