Mengal shows concerns to Nawaz about engagement with establishment

LAHORE MIRROR — Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal has penned a letter to Nawaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), expressing his disappointment regarding the approach taken to address the country’s issues.

In the letter, Mengal conveyed his concern that instead of involving politicians, consultations with the establishment are being used to solve the nation’s problems.

Shared on his official Twitter account, the open letter signifies a continuation of Mengal’s communication from last year in July. In this latest letter, he highlighted that rather than resolving the problems he previously raised, they have actually intensified.

محترم جناب میاں محمد نواز شریف صاحب ، @NawazSharifMNS
امید ہے آپ بمعہ اہلِ خانہ خیریت سے ہونگے میرہ آج کا میسج گزشتہ میسج مورخہ ۲۲ جولائی ۲۰۲۲ کا تسلسل ہے کیونکہ جن مسائل کا ذکر میں نے پہلے کیا تھا کاش کہ اُن میں کمی آتی لیکن حزبِ روایت ان میں اضافہ ہوتا گیا اس کا الزام کسی…

— Akhtar Mengal (@sakhtarmengal) August 13, 2023

Mengal, whose party is part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition that governed the nation for 16 months, expressed regret that issues in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, persist. He criticized the use of force to solve these problems instead of seeking political solutions.

Lamenting the current approach, Mengal stated, “The country’s problems are being resolved through discussions with the establishment rather than involving politicians.” He also noted that the PML-N appears to have forgotten the conspiracies and unconstitutional actions it faced in the past, expressing concern about the party’s legislative actions taken without consulting its allies.

Mengal cautioned that neglecting allied parties when making crucial decisions could breed mistrust and tensions among them. He further raised objections about the recent digital census, claiming that the population of Balochistan had been significantly undercounted by 7.3 million.

سردار اختر مینگل صاحب باپ پارٹی کے چئیرمین سینیٹ اور وزیر اعلی بلوچستان کی حمایت اور نگران وزیر اعظم کی مخالفت کیا یہ کھلا تضاد نہیں؟ آپ جیسے بزرگ سیاستدان سے امید ہے کہ آپ اپنے رویہ پر نظر ثانی کریں گے! @sakhtarmengal https://t.co/j9vd0ykF0c

— Senator Sarfraz Bugti (@PakSarfrazbugti) August 13, 2023

Responding to Mengal’s open letter, Senator Sarfraz Bugti from the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) questioned the apparent contradiction in Mengal’s stance. Bugti highlighted Mengal’s support for the BAP, the Senate chairman, and the chief minister, while also criticizing the caretaker prime minister. Bugti urged senior politicians like Mengal to reevaluate their positions.

Mengal’s letter underscores his concerns about the current political approach and highlights the need for effective collaboration among political parties to address the nation’s challenges.