PM Shehbaz meets BNP, BAP leaders

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday met with Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) president Akhtar Mengal and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) parliamentary leader Khalid Magsi.

During the meeting, the leaders congratulated the premier on assuming office and expressed their determination to work alongside the federal government towards the socio-economic development of the country.

PM Shehbaz thanked Akhtar Mengal, Khalid Magsi and their allies for their determination to work collectively to ensure a stable democracy and the welfare of the people.

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) national assembly members Khawaja Saad Rafique, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Rana Sanaullah were also present at the meeting.

On March 28, ahead of the no-confidence vote which ousted ex-premier Imran Khan, the provincially-ruling BAP parted ways with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) coalition and announced its support for the opposition’s motion.

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Magsi told reporters that his party had reached the conclusion to join the opposition after consultation.

“Balochistan has been deprived” and the party wanted the province’s issues addressed. “That is why BAP has decided to support the opposition,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal told reporters that circumstances, and not the army, forced the opposition to bring the no-confidence motion against the prime minister.

Mengal stressed that all opposition parties were on the same page. He said that they were ridiculed instead of resolving the problems of Balochistan. “We are succeeding on the no-confidence motion, as the government numbers were falling. Delaying tactics are being used on the no-confidence motion.”