• BNP-M claims mortar shells fired on party chief’s home
• Another three injured in latest round of clashes
• Nawab Aslam Raisani steps in to broker peace

ISLAMABAD / QUETTA: Lawmakers in the National Assembly voiced their concern over the worsening law and order in Wadh city of Khuzdar district for the second consecutive day on Friday due to a tribal feud, calling upon the government to intervene immediately to prevent the situation from getting out of control.

Wadh has been engulfed by an armed conflict since Wednesday, when a gun battle started between the armed men of BNP-M President Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Shafiq Mengal, during which both sides used heavy weapons, officials said.

The clashes have resulted in seven injuries so far, including three on Friday, despite attempts by tribal and government officials to restore a ceasefire.

Agha Hassan Baloch, the federal minister for science and technology and a member of the BNP-M, drew the lawmakers’ attention on Friday towards the situation in Wadh when he spoke on a point of order. He claimed that the militants carrying heavy weapons had cordoned off the residence of his party chief, Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

“Just 10 to 15 minutes ago, mortar shells were fired on the residence of Akhtar Mengal,” the minister said, claiming that there were reports that three to four children had been injured. Mr Baloch alleged that it seemed Shafiq Mengal had taken law enforcement officials hostage.

“Perhaps we have committed a mistake by becoming an ally of the present government and voting for the PDM,” he said. “Whatever is being done with Balochistan, [it] will have serious consequences. We are being punished for doing democratic politics,” he said.

The minister wondered why the authorities were reluctant to act against Shafiq Mengal, who was allegedly involved in terrorism and sectarianism incidents and had already killed some 600 people and against whom FIRs were also pending. “What message is being conveyed [to us]?” he asked.

Later, Ali Wazir, an independent MNA from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal areas, also expressed his concern over the “ar­med attack” on Akhtar Mengal’s home.

“Do not force him [Mr Mengal] to take a political decision of your choice,” he said without elaborating.

The clashes in Wadh, involving local tribesmen, have disrupted normal life and trade activity, with residents confined to their homes and traffic on the Quetta-Karachi highway remaining suspended for the past three days.

On Friday, the two parties started firing at each other’s areas at around 9am and also used rockets and mortar shells, creating terror among the people of the Wadh area. A mortar shell hit the Mengal Kot Wadh town, injuring three people, a senior official told Dawn by phone.

A security official said one of the injured, a labourer, suffered serious wounds and was rushed to Karachi for advanced treatment.

Aslam Raisani steps in Nawab Aslam Raisani, having consulted a range of officials and tribal leaders from both sides, has reported a tentative agreement on a ceasefire. This agreement is designed to facilitate a tribal Jirga, a traditional assembly of leaders to resolve disputes, to identify a lasting solution to the ongoing strife.

Ahead of a second round of peace talks scheduled for Saturday, Mr Raisani has affirmed that a group of tribal elders will remain in Wadh to monitor the ceasefire.

“We came here to stop the bloodshed,” he emphasised, underlining the goal of achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict in line with tribal customs.

Abdul Wahid Shahwani in Khuzdar also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2023