Volatile situation: Operations intensified in Balochistan, says Mengal

Blames govt for unrest; orders restructuring of his BNP-M party.

QUETTA:

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal has claimed that operations have been intensified in Balochistan to suppress the voice of Baloch people clamouring for their rights.

Addressing a news conference here on Monday, Mengal described the action as ‘genocide’ of Baloch people.

Meanwhile, he announced dissolving of all party organs, saying all previous party memberships stood cancelled.

He directed to launch a fresh membership drive to revitalise the party, following recommendations of BNP-M’s central committee.

Mengal indicated that elements responsible for enforced disappearances were responsible for the grenade attack at his residence earlier and blamed state institutions for human rights violations in Balochistan.

The BNP-M president said that there had been some hope following the general elections, but that hope was fading with every passing day as forces had intensified military operations under the cover of search operations in major parts of Balochistan.

“Operations have been intensified to stop Baloch people from seeking their legitimate national rights,” Mengal said. He described the action as ‘genocide’ of the Baloch people.



The former Balochistan chief minister reiterated his earlier stance that he wanted to take Balochistan out of death and destruction, and seek an end to enforced disappearances and dumping of mutilated bodies at public places.

“We decided to participate in the democratic process and field our candidates in a difficult situation,” Mengal said, but expressed reservations over the election results, stating that election results had been tampered with and changed, converting victory of the party into defeat.

“If we were in the parliament, we would have definitely opposed all mega projects – Reko Dik, Saindak, Dudar, Gwadar Port, Chamallang and Gadani Power Park,” he said, adding that the power park should have been established in Ormara and Awaran instead of Gadani. He added that the electricity from HUBCO and Uch Power Projects had been denied to the people of Balochistan.

He also demanded immediate and involuntary repatriation of all Afghan refugees and illegal immigrants and called for punishing all those officials who had issued national identity cards and travel documents in exchange of bribes.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal also condemned the removal of Baloch vice chancellors and appointment of non-Baloch vice chancellors in universities in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2013.