In a fiery press conference in Quetta, senior leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Balochistan, including provincial ministers and MPAs, joined government spokesperson Shahid Rind to strongly criticize Balochistan National Party (BNP) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal. The PPP leadership accused Mengal of duplicity, backdoor negotiations, and shielding armed elements under the guise of political activism.
PPP Balochistan President Sadiq Umrani dismissed Mengal’s recent criticism of the PPP as baseless, saying the BNP leader’s objectives remain unclear and erratic. “Sometimes it’s six points, sometimes something else — the man has no consistency,” Umrani said, adding that Mengal has long been engaging in secret talks with the government.
Umrani went on to accuse Mengal of using women as human shields to protect militants. “We have sacrificed our martyrs for the survival of the country and democracy, while Akhtar Mengal continues with cowardly politics,” he said. He also claimed Mengal received Rs 15 billion from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and is now hypocritically talking about rights.
He further alleged that Mengal is rattled by the possibility of arrest under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO). Referring to a reported bomb threat at Shahwani Stadium, Umrani claimed BNP leaders were barred from entering the venue due to alleged involvement in a plot to plant 500 kg of explosives.
Ali Madad Jatak, another PPP leader, labeled Mengal as a “B-Team” of terrorists. “He never raises his voice for other women detainees, only those that suit his agenda,” he said. Jatak argued that Mengal is disturbed by the developmental projects initiated under Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti.
Balochistan Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar accused Mengal of backing “terrorists like Mahrang,” referring to BYC leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch. He claimed Mengal shows neither respect for women nor commitment to democratic principles. “He’s even avoiding his own arrest. The PPP has always spoken out against terrorism — this is what Akhtar Mengal cannot digest,” Kakar said.
The leaders insisted that Mengal’s attempts to pressure or blackmail the government would not succeed. They also criticized him for politicizing the Chief Minister’s recent visit to President Asif Zardari. “Mengal didn’t even condemn the killing of a laborer. His silence reveals his apathy,” Umrani added.
The press conference marks a significant escalation in political tensions between the PPP and BNP in Balochistan, with both parties vying for influence amid growing unrest and public scrutiny.