‘BNP-M may withdraw support for PTI’

Lashkari Raisani says federal govt only interested in Balochistan’s natural resources

QUETTA: Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) central leader Nawabzada Haji Lashkari Raisani has warned that his party would withdraw its support for the PTI if the latter did not implement its six-point agenda.

“The federal government is only interested in Balochistan’s natural resources and not bothered about ending its decades-long deprivation,” the former senator said while addressing a ceremony held at the Quetta Press Club to welcome the newly elected president of the Federal Union of Journalists, Shahzad Zulfiqar.

“The BNP-M has extended its full support to the PTI because it had pledged to fulfill our demands. But we reserve the right to withdraw our support if it doesn’t keep its promise.”

The BNP-M leader said the federal government had neglected Balochistan despite its sprawling land mass and natural resources.

“There must be unity among politicians, journalists, writers and intellectuals to secure the province’s rights.” Raisani said Shahzad Zulfiqar’s victory in the PFUJ election as a matter of pride for Balochistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Zulfiqar vowed to play his due role in creating a favourable environment for the print and electronic media in Pakistan.

“During my two-year tenure as the PFUJ president, I will sincerely work to revamp the affairs of the media industry,” he added.

Zulfiqar also condemned the recent attack on the office of a newspaper in Islamabad.

The BNP-M has repeatedly expressed its disappointment over the government’s failure to make progress towards the implementation of its six-point agenda it reached with the PTI at the time of the formation of its government in August last year.

The he six points include recovery of missing persons, implementation of the National Action Plan, implementation of six per cent quota for Balochistan in the federal government, immediate repatriation of Afghan refugees and the construction of dams in the province to resolve the acute water crisis.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2019.