GWADAR: Former Balochistan finance minister Syed Ehsan Shah on Friday announced that he had resigned from the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and revived his own party, the Pakistan National Party (Awami), which he had merged with BNP-M a few years ago.

Addressing a press conference at his office in Turbat, Mr Shah said he had remained associated with BNP-M for three years but found it increasingly difficult to align with the party’s “rigid political approach” under Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

He said the decision to merge the Pakistan National Party (Awami) with BNP-M had been withdrawn and that the party’s revival would restore his earlier political position.

“I had merged my Pakistan National Party (Awami) in the larger interest of Balochistan and its people,” he said, adding that he held no personal grievance against Mr Mengal.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2026