ISLAMABAD: After a 17-month gap, National Ass­embly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq accepted the resignation of MNA Sardar Ak­h­tar Mengal, chief of his own faction of the Balo­chistan National Party (BNP-Mengal), on Wednesday.

Citing the “prevailing situation in Balochistan”, the BNP-M chief had submitted his resignation on Sept 3, 2024, only months after being elected to the assembly from NA-256 (Khuzdar).

Responding to the acce­ptance of his resignation by the NA speaker, Mr Men­gal wrote on X, “PML-N has at last acce­pted my resignation after dragging its feet long enough to expose its own fear.

“Was it the applause that unsettled you or the fact that I could draw crowds in Punjab’s core?” he asked, apparently referring to his participation in a charged discussion about Balochistan at the recent Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore.

At the event, Mr Mengal had criticised recent political and electoral developments, alleging that mainstream Baloch political leadership had been sidelined. He also expressed concern over restrictions on political activity, media access and civil liberties.

In his post on X, Mr Mengal claimed he had “not withdrawn one rupee” since he tendered his resignation, and even vacated his Parliament Lodges residence.

“For the record, not one rupee has been withdrawn since my resignation. Every amount remains in Parliament’s bank. The lodges were vacated 17 months ago and I have not resided there since. Adios!”

In a separate post, the BNP-M chief said, “My resignation was submitted on 3rd September 2024 by choice and with full conviction.”

He said the decision was taken on principle in response to the ‘unresolved grievances’ of Balochistan. “Instead of addressing those grievances, the authorities chose to suppress the issue, once again demonstrating that this federation has no real space for a Baloch voice,” he claimed. He stated, “What is now public is not just my resignation, but the mindset of those in power toward Balochistan’s suffering and how my appearance in Lahore was enough to unsettle many egos. I stand by this decision.”

When contacted, a senior official of the NA Secretariat told Dawn the NA spea­ker was tight-lipped on the issue, though “it is speaker’s prerogative when and why he accepts the resignation of an MNA”.

The senior politician had resigned over security tensions in Balochistan after the Aug 26, 2024 deadly attacks across the province and increased protests against enforced disappearances. Soon after the resignation was submitted, the government and the PTI beseeched Mr Mengal to withdraw his resignation.

In July 2025, the BNP-M chief was bar­red from travelling abroad, with immigration officials at the Quetta airport informing him that his name was on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL), a temporary foreign travel restr­iction. Two months later, the Balochistan High Court had declared the travel ban illegal and directed the authorities concerned to immediately lift the restriction.

Procedure

According to Article 64(1) of the Constitution, which deals with the resignation of a member of parliament, while Rule 43 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly elaborates the process.

Rule 43(2) reads “(a) if a member hands over the letter of resignation to the Speaker personally and informs him that the resignation is voluntary and genuine and the Speaker has no information or knowledge to the contrary; or (b) the Speaker receives the letter of resignation by any other means and he, after such inquiry as he thinks fit, either himself or through the National Assembly Secretariat or through any other agency, is satisfied that the resignation is voluntary and genuine, the Speaker shall inform the Assembly of the resignation: Provided that if a member resigns his seat, when the Assembly is not in session, the Speaker shall direct that intimation of his resignation specifying the date of the resignation be given to every member immediately.

“(3) The Secretary shall, after the Speaker satisfies himself that the letter of resignation is voluntary and genuine, cause to be published in the Gazette a notification to the effect that the member has resigned his seat and forward a copy of the notification to the [Election Commission] for taking steps to fill the vacancy thus caused.

“(4) The date of resignation of a member shall be the date specified in writing by which he has resigned or if no date is specified therein the date of receipt of such writing by the Speaker.”

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2026