In a candid press conference held in Islamabad, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, leader of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP), announced his resignation from Pakistan’s National Assembly just six months after securing a seat in the general elections. Mengal, who won from NA-265 in Balochistan during the February 2024 polls, declared he could no longer justify his role in a parliamentary system that he felt had consistently failed his people.
Mengal, speaking to reporters outside the Parliament on Tuesday evening, revealed he had formally submitted his resignation to the National Assembly secretariat. He lamented that despite his best efforts, he had been unable to advocate effectively for the rights and needs of Balochistan within a legislative body that, he claimed, routinely ignores the province’s concerns.
“There is no point in sitting in a parliament that neither listens to us nor acknowledges our voices when we do speak,” he stated. He further accused the assembly of “blacking out” any discussion on the critical issues affecting Balochistan, underscoring his belief that his presence in Parliament had become futile.
Explaining his decision, Mengal cited the ongoing marginalisation of Balochistan and the lack of genuine representation for its people as the driving forces behind his resignation. “The prevailing situation in Balochistan has left me no choice. Every day, we are pushed further to the margins. Our attempts to speak or protest are met with hostility; our people are silenced, labelled as traitors, or even worse, killed,” he expressed in his resignation letter.
Mengal argued that his departure was a vote of no confidence in the current government and the political system as a whole. He voiced his disappointment that a government which exists in name only had left him with no alternative but to step down. Acknowledging the disillusionment of his supporters, he apologised to the 65,000 voters who had elected him, saying, “My resignation will undoubtedly disappoint many, but I owe it to them to act in a manner that reflects the grim realities of our situation.”
Mengal’s resignation marks a significant moment in Pakistan’s political landscape, highlighting the deepening frustration and alienation of Balochistan within the country’s federal framework.
