ISLAMABAD:
Balochistan National Party-Mengal chief Akhtar Mengal remained undeterred on Wednesday despite appeals from both the government and PTI for him to reconsider his decision to resign from the National Assembly, urging him to remain a voice for Balochistan in the legislature.
The government dangled assurances to woo the veteran politician back into the parliamentary fold, while the PTI vowed to support the people of Balochistan in its hour of need.
However, the pleas seemed to be hitting a wall.
In a last-ditch effort to sway Mengal, a government delegation led by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs and Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah made a beeline for the Parliament Lodges.
Accompanied by political stalwarts Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Usman Badini, Aijaz Jakhrani, and Khalid Magsi, Sanaullah aimed to strike a chord with the BNP-M chief and reel him back into the parliamentary fold.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Sanaullah revealed that the delegation requested the BNP-M to remain a part of parliament and to continue his struggle in the same way as he always has within the ambit of the law and the Constitution to talk about Balochistan’s rights and deprivation.
“The bravery with which he has fought the case of the people of Balochistan, all of us are appreciative of him, and we are with him.”
Sanaullah added that he had “registered our review petition” with Mengal, hoping the veteran politician would take it to heart.
“We respect him immensely, and he has a very powerful and strong voice and role in Balochistan’s rights and deprivation, and it should remain in parliament,” he remarked.
Sanaullah assured that Mengal’s grievances were a “keepsake” with the delegation, promising to pass them along to the “concerned quarters.”
However, Mengal had a different take. When asked whether the government’s overtures had changed his mind, he quipped, “They tried to convince me, but I think I convinced them. I have no intention [of retracting my resignation].”
Reiterating his longstanding complaints, Mengal highlighted the grim realities of Balochistan, including the ongoing issues of missing persons, resource exploitation, violence, and the macabre discovery of dead bodies.
His frustration was palpable as he lamented, “I have raised these issues with every government and its allies, but they can’t seem to understand despite my plain and clear language.”
Sources revealed that the government delegation had dangled assurances, promising to address the woes of Balochistan if Mengal agreed to stay.
Despite these guarantees, Mengal’s disillusionment ran deep, particularly over the persistent sidelining of Balochistan’s issues in parliament.
He expressed his dismay at being repeatedly denied a voice on the assembly floor, warning that the situation in Balochistan was spiralling out of control with no one seemingly bothered.
Similarly, seasoned PPP leader Raza Rabbani weighed in with a press release, describing Mengal’s resignation as a “distress signal” from Balochistan.
Rabbani’s words cut through the noise, “It is yet another reminder that Balochistan, rich in resources but impoverished by neglect, continues to be marginalised and ignored.”
He hailed nationalist leaders like Mengal for choosing mainstream politics over separatism, in hopes that their parliamentary participation would spotlight their people’s plight.
Rabbani urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to make it a “priority” to bring Mengal back into the fold, stressing, “The state must listen to him and other nationalist leaders who have chosen the path of dialogue over violence.”
Rabbani sounded the alarm, warning that the issues pushing Balochistan to the brink needed immediate redress.
He stressed the importance of finding a political solution to neutralise the threats posed by militant organisations intent on destabilising the nation.
Meanwhile, PTI also whirred into action. A delegation led by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub also paid a visit to Mengal, pleading with him to reconsider his resignation.
Expressing deep concern over Balochistan’s dire situation, the PTI urged Mengal to continue his fight within the parliamentary arena.
The delegation accused the government of reducing the National Assembly to a “rubber stamp” shackled by censorship, incapable of seriously addressing Balochistan’s burning issues.
“The people of Balochistan will not be left alone in this hour of difficulty,” Ayub assured.
PTI leader Asad Qaiser told journalists at the Parliament Lodges that Mengal had assured them he would review his resignation.
In a related development, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has put the brakes on accepting Mengal’s resignation.
Sources within the speaker’s office revealed that the government had requested Sadiq to hold off on the resignation, leading to the suspension of further action.
Earlier in the day, the Secretary Assembly had submitted Mengal’s resignation to the speaker for processing.
