Daily Times

Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Friday said his party was ready to join the opposition if it accepted the BNP-M’s demands.

Mengal made the remark while addressing a press conference following a meeting with a delegation of senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders, who had called on him to invite him to join the opposition benches.

PPP leaders Khursheed Shah, former prime minister Pervez Ashraf, Nayyar Bukhari, Naveed Qamar, Farhatullah Babar and Agha Rafi were part of the delegation.

Following the meeting, Mengal addressed a press conference in which he expressed regret that the government had not made any progress towards addressing any outstanding demands.

“We had not taken any ministry or other benefit for joining the treasury benches,” he recalled, stressing that he only sought action on his demands. Mengal’s party is a supply partner of the ruling coalition in the National Assembly.

The PPP and the BNP-M held detailed talks, Mengal said, adding that the nation’s problems would not be solved until democratic institutions were strengthened.

He said that another meeting would be held in the next few days. “Our demands are not hidden,” he said. “Our demands are for the development of Balochistan. We have put forward six points before the government but no action has been taken on the points as yet.”

He said the same points had been put forward before the PPP and would be discussed with other opposition parties as well.

He said his party was more concerned about the situation of Balochistan than voting for the budget. “We will not be able to remain with the government if political issues are not resolved.”