QUETTA: Balochistan Nat­i­onal Party-Mengal (BNP-M) president Akhtar Jan Mengal has said that his party will not compromise on six demands on the basis of which it joined the coalition government led by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

In a statement issued here on Sunday, he said the BNP-M had not asked anything for its benefit, adding that the party had just demanded justice for the people of Balochistan who were being deprived of their rights for the past 70 years.

“We did not blackmail the PTI government by demanding ministries, high-profile postings or other benefits to support its government in Islamabad,” Mr Mengal said, adding that the BNP-M just asked for rights of Balochistan’s people.

He said it would be extremely difficult for peace to prevail in Balochistan if a political solution was not found out of the crisis facing the province. “It should have been a priority for every government to work for peace in the province regardless of votes,” he said.

Mr Mengal, who is a member of the National Assembly, said the BNP-M would part ways with the PTI if it didn’t start “implementation on our six demands”. He warned that the time was running out for the federal government.

“It is not possible for my party to continue supporting the PTI government if it did not honour its commitment,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2019