KHUZDAR: Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) president Sardar Akhtar Mengal has said that his conscience will not be satisfied if the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government does not implement his party’s six-point agenda.

Speaking at a public meeting in Khuzdar, he said that his six points were the voice of the Baloch people and that his party would not compromise on any of them. He said he would fulfil the responsibility of representing the Baloch people and continue the struggle for their rights.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leaders Maulana Qamaruddin and Senator Maulana Faiz Muhammad also spoke at the event. Other speakers included MPA-elect Muhammad Akbar Mengal, Baloch Students Organisation chairman Nazir Baloch and MPAs Akhtar Hussain Langove, Mir Hamal Kalmati, Ahmed Nawaz Baloch and Advocate Sajid Tareen.

Mr Mengal said that both the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the BNP-M had faced ‘non-political’ forces in the by-election. But despite the pressure, the people in his constituency rejected these actors and chose to support the joint candidate of both parties.

“The six points include the recovery of missing persons and making serious efforts to end unemployment in the province,” Mr Mengal said, adding he understood the pain of missing persons’ families. “My brother, Asad Mengal, went missing 40 years ago. Now, we believe he is not alive.”

Mr Mengal also spoke about the Afghan refugee issue and said that the six-point agreement included a demand for the return of Afghans back to their country. “If the government wanted to issue them national identity cards then it should declare Pakistan as an international orphan house.” He said that no country could allow refugees to stay indefinitely.

Commenting on development projects in Gwadar, he said the port city had not really made any progress. It’s all on papers he argued. The people, he said, are still suffering. “Instead of giving them jobs and authority over their own resources, the government is displacing the real owners of Gwadar.” He said the BNP would continue its struggle for the rights of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018