Syed Ali Shah:Â
QUETTA: The Chief of Balochistan National Party (BNP), Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Thursday said it was the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections after the end of the government’s tenure.
“Let’s see whether the ECP fulfills its constitutional responsibility or not”, the BNP Chief told a crowded press conference in Quetta. Raja Jawad Advocate and others announced the joining of BNP on the occasion. Former party lawmakers in the Balochistan Assembly, Malik Naseer Shahwani, Akhtar Hussain Langove and others were also present on the occasion.
ECP has the mandate to announce the election schedule
He said the government completed its tenure as per the constitution and now the mandate lies with the ECP to announce the schedule of the elections. In response to a question about BNP’s support to former Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Quddus Bizenjo, he said the party was fed up with the former CM Jam Kamal Khan because of his stubborn attitude.
“Jam era was worse than Musharraf government”, Sardar Akhtar Mengal said. He stated that the media is the witness of using armored vehicles against the members of the assembly on the eve budget in the premises of the Balochistan Assembly. “We could not tolerate the humiliation of our lawmakers, especially women”, he said, defending his support to the former CM Balochistan against Jam Kamal Khan.
Rulers never try to understand the true problems of Balochistan: Mengal
He said that there is a problem of law and order in Balochistan. Candidates go to their constituencies in the elections and cannot go to cast their votes. In the past, representatives have been elected by getting 25 votes. The people were successful during the census, the staff even went on motorcycles to remote areas and the census was conducted but the results have once again deprived us of our rights, the BNP Chief lamented.
He said that every incoming ruler of the country says that he will flow rivers of milk and honey in Balochistan, but they are not successful because they do not understand the problem of Balochistan, until the people get their legitimate rights, terrorism will not end from Balochistan.
Mengal Sahib was himself associated with this unrepresentative government within a marginalized Parliament. During this time, there were allegations of constitutional violations and a lack of adherence to proper legal procedures in the expeditious amendment of laws.
Mengal Sahib remained conspicuously silent on these matters, raising questions about his stance. Some speculated that his silence might have been influenced by personal gains, potentially in the form of a coveted governorship post and lackluster Ministries.