News Analysis |
In the latest development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Jehangir Tareen has approached the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal to discuss ongoing political situation with him. According to media reports, the PTI leader made a telephonic contact on Sunday with Mr. Mengal to let him know that the federal government will address his reservations.
PTI made an alliance with the BNP after signing a six-point charter which talked about the development of Balochistan. Mr. Mengal has always maintained that his party was not interested in ministers rather all they want is the wellbeing of their province and marginalized people.
There are experts and academics who attribute the state of underdevelopment of the province to the local political leadership that has traditionally been self-centered.
Sources confirmed that during the telephonic conversation, Mr. Mengal once again asked Tareen that BNP-M was only seeking implementation on the six-point MoU signed after 2018 polls and not any ministry. Mr. Tareen assured the BNP-M chief that all reservations of the coalition partner will be removed. As a matter of fact, the six points include recovery of missing persons, implementation of the National Action Plan, implementation of six percent quota for Balochistan in the federal government, immediate repatriation of Afghan refugees and the construction of dams in the province to resolve the acute water crisis.
Moreover, in response to Mr. Tareen, the BNP-M chief formed a four-member committee comprising Senator Jahanzeb Jamaldin, Agha Hassan Baloch, Sana Baloch, and Haji Lashkari to hold talks with the ruling political party. BNP-M chief is also in contact with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeemul Haque to remove differences, the sources added.
Read more: BLA commander’s presence in Kandahar proves Afghan ‘safe heavens’ to subvert…
It is also important to note that several missing persons have returned back to their homes in the past few days. According to reports, Mehran Khyiazai, Abdul Karim Musazai from Saindak, Haji Ghulam Dastagir Mohammad Hasni from Dalbandin, Kabir Ahmed and Mohammad Ewaz Killi from Qadirabad Noshki, Abdul Samad Langove and Mohammad Ibrahim Kalat, Khalid Naveed from Mashkay and Khan Mohammad Bugti Kashangi from Noshki have safely returned to their families.
Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that the BNP has 4 seats in the National Assembly and nine in Balochistan assembly. It established a working relationship with the PTI-led government and demanded the development of the province. Analysts believe that PM Khan is committed to ensuring the implementation of six-point agenda signed with the BNP to lessen the anger of the people of Balochistan who have historically been ignored and exploited.
Read more: No Work on CPEC’s Western Route? This is propaganda: Chief Secretary…
As a matter of fact, Balochistan is the richest province in terms of its resources but least developed when it comes to education and infrastructural development. There are experts and academics who attribute the state of underdevelopment of the province to the local political leadership that has traditionally been self-centered. But politicians from Balochistan allege that the federal governments have never sincerely focused on the development of the province which resulted in the creation of ethnonationalism.
The current government is serious on the matter of Balochistan and PM Khan as shown his interest in fulfilling the demands of the locals. If done properly, the rise of ethnonationalism in Balochistan will decrease considerably.