Nawaz yet to fulfil Balochistan pledge

PML-N chief missing in action despite assurances

LAHORE:

With almost a year having past, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who, as per his party, gave assurance to play a proactive role in resolution of Balochistan issues, remained completely missing from action, as per the members of the two delegations from the security-troubled province who had met former premier in Lahore, early last year.

The silence stands in contrast to expectations raised during high-level meetings.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif met in March with the Supreme Court Bar Association president and the Balochistan High Court Bar president, and later in April with a delegation of National Party leaders led by its chief, Abdul Malik Baloch, at his Lahore residence.

During these meetings, Nawaz Sharif was urged to leverage his political stature to help resolve the province's challenges.

According to participants and party figures, he had reportedly assured an active role, and following the meeting with National Party leaders, a five-member committee was also formed. However, no subsequent progress has been reported.

Nearly a year on, National Party leader Senator Jan Muhammad Buledi said there had been no communication from the PML-N side since the Lahore meeting. "We have not heard from the PML-N side since our meeting last year," he said.

He added that expectations from Nawaz Sharif had been high, but "for reasons beyond their understanding, no action was taken, no promise was kept, and frankly, things have taken a turn for the worse," he said.

Clarifying his position, he said, "We are not disappointed; we cannot even afford to be disappointed, after all, Balochistan is our home, and we have to keep trying".

He further stressed that Nawaz Sharif, being among the most senior political leaders in the country, commands influence across various Baloch political and tribal groupings, making his engagement crucial.

He said efforts would be made again to remind him of his "national obligation towards Balochistan" in the near future.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Mian Mohammad Rauf Atta, who had met Nawaz Sharif a month before the National Party delegation, echoed similar concerns.

He said that those currently in power derive authority from the ongoing crisis in Balochistan and urged senior political leadership to intervene, given the alarming situation.

He added that there had been no response from the PML-N regarding the requests raised during the meeting.

Meanwhile, when contacted for comment on Nawaz Sharif's absence from the ongoing discourse on Balochistan, Rashid Nasarullah, described as his personal staff officer, did not respond.

Since the departure of Zubair Umar from the PML-N, who previously served as chief spokesperson for Nawaz Sharif during key political phases, no formal liaison mechanism between the party leadership and the media has been clearly visible.