Former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal. PHOTO: ONLINE
ISLAMABAD:
Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, who heads the mainstream faction of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, will meet Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal in Lahore next month.
Nawaz took the initiative for the meeting as he wanted to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan that has crippled the provincial administration, BNP-Mengal vice-president Sajid Tareen told The Express Tribune.
“Mengal has always preferred Nawaz over the federal government for political discussions on the Balochistan crisis,” said Tareen. “Nawaz appears more serious and sincere to find a solution to the Baloch plight.”
Last September, the Baloch leader had refused to meet a team of federal ministers, including Law and Justice Minister Farooq H Naek, in Islamabad.
Mengal, who lives in self-exile in the United Arab Emirates, will return to Pakistan in March when the campaigning for upcoming elections will be at its initial stages, said Tareen.
Before attending the meeting with PML-N leader, Mengal will hold discussions with his own party members and other like-minded politicians in the province to agree on a joint strategy for the polls, he added.
The BNP-Mengal leader pointed out that the PML-N leader had shown willingness last month to bring further amendments in the Constitution to address the Baloch nationalist demand for provincial autonomy.
Senator Pervez Rashid, a spokesman of the government of Punjab and a leading figure in the PML-N, while commenting on the statement made by Tareen, told The Express Tribune that there is a possibility that the issue of provincial autonomy would be discussed with Baloch leaders. The two leaders met last year when the Baloch nationalist leader presented his six-points in the Supreme Court.
Nawaz is reportedly keen to forge an electoral alliance with the leading Baloch nationalist parties. However, Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo of National Party says both PML-N and the PPP are almost non-existent in Balochistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (3)
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Out of 365 days these mengals,raisanis,marris and bughtis leadership stay 325 days away from Bolachistan but when ever is some voice on it they at once come out and start cashing,and poor Baloch remains as it is for 65 years.
A very good initiative on the part of NS to bring the Nationalist Baloch Parties into main stream politic of Pakistan.
All Nawaz Sharif can do is meet the Mengals, as if Mengals...who themselves live in exile, have any say or following in Balochistan. . . He is too scared to meet the people of Balochistan evidently.