QUETTA: Balochistan Nati­onal Party-Mengal (BNP-M) president Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal has supported the call for forming an independent commission to investigate allegations of rigging in the July 25 elections.

Speaking to media personnel here on Sunday, he said though his party had won seats both in national and provincial assemblies he was in favour of conducting investigation into allegations of rigging.

Mr Mengal said that the BNP-M had reservations over the results of the election. He accused the Election Commission of Pakistan of making the election results controversial by delaying their announcement for many hours. “The election commission had made the election process suspicious by not announcing the results on time,” he added.

He demanded that an independent commission should be formed to investigate the rigging allegations. Constituencies about which there were allegations of rigging should be reopened, he said, adding that the BNP-M was even ready for re-polling in the constituencies in which his party’s candidates were declared winner if there were reservations about their results.

Says BNP-M discussing its options for formation of govt in Balochistan

Mr Mengal has arrived in Quetta for initiating talks with other political parties for formation of a coalition government in the province. He presided over a meeting of the central committee of his party which discussed the matter.

He will preside over another meeting of the party’s central committee on Monday.

In reply to a question about formation of next government in Balochistan, the BNP-M president said the party was discussion its options in this regard and would take decisions in the best interest of the people of Balochistan.

After completion of the election process all political parties were discussing their options and contacting each other for formation of governments at the centre and in provinces, he added.

On the question if he had any plan to run for the post of the chief minister or would he prefer to go in the National Assembly, Mr Mengal said he could not alone take a decision in this regard. The party’s central committee was the right forum to take a decision on the matter. He, however, made it clear that the priority of his party was to make decisions which could be helpful in solving problems of the Balochistan’s people.

The BNP-M would never compromise on the rights of the Balochistan people and would support policies which could bring improvement in their life, he said, adding that the main focus of his party was to bring backward areas of the province at par with developed parts of the country.

Answering a question about BNP-N’s contacts with other parties for formation of governments at centre and in Balochistan, Mr Mengal said his party had been contacted by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. But, he added, on the initial stage they had just exchanged congratulations on theirs wins in the election.

He said the BNP-M could support like-minded parties for formation of next governments.

Mr Mengal said the election results had proved that the BNP-M was the true voice of the people of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2018