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BNP Chief Akhtar Mengal Questions Military Operations and Unrest in Balochistan
- •Balochistan National Party chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal questioned the effectiveness of repeated military operations in Pakistan's Balochistan province.
- •Mengal stated that Balochistan is burning and that youth have taken to the mountains amid ongoing unrest and security tensions.
- •He criticized the state of democratic institutions, citing the alleged disappearance of elected representatives and restrictions on peaceful protests.
- •Mengal drew parallels with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and criticized lawmakers elected through manipulated processes.
Key Questions Answered
Balochistan National Party (BNP) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal questioned the effectiveness of repeated military operations in Pakistan's Balochistan province, stating that the region continues to experience unrest and that many young people have taken to the mountains. Mengal criticised these security operations, which authorities have justified to combat militancy, and questioned what they have ultimately achieved.
Mengal drew a parallel between Balochistan and neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by highlighting the reported arrests of associates linked to former chief minister Sohail Afridi and the alleged disappearance of elected representatives. He argued that democratic institutions cannot function properly when peaceful protests are restricted and elected officials are allegedly missing.
Akhtar Mengal strongly criticised the presence of lawmakers in assemblies who he stated were elected through "Form 47", pointing to widespread allegations of electoral manipulation following Pakistan's 2024 general elections. He argued that the absence of legitimate elected representatives and severe restrictions on peaceful political activity severely undermine democratic governance.
