Quetta [Pakistan] : Sardar Akhtar Mengal, President of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), has launched what he termed a “politics of national resistance,” condemning Pakistan’s parliament, judiciary, and other institutions for their failure to uphold the rights of the Baloch people.
Addressing a massive gathering at Shahwani Stadium on Friday night, Mengal announced that his party would no longer seek official permission to conduct political activities. “When the government asks us not to stage protests, we demand that it shun its wrong policies that force people to hold protests,” he told supporters, as reported by Dawn.
Mengal expressed deep outrage at what he described as state atrocities — including the dishonouring of Baloch women, acts of genocide, and the discovery of mutilated bodies of Baloch youth. He warned that if repression continued, the BNP-M would not hesitate to stage protests even outside military cantonments.
Criticizing the judicial system, Mengal accused the courts of repeatedly adjourning hearings and failing to deliver justice. “Decisions are not made according to the Constitution or law, but based on the will of sector commanders,” he alleged.
The rally also featured speeches by BNP-M Senior Vice President Sajid Tareen Advocate, Iqra Baloch — sister of detained activist Mahrang Baloch, Nasarullah Baloch — Chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), and other political leaders. The speakers collectively demanded the immediate release of Mahrang Baloch and others detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
The BNP-M is a prominent Baloch nationalist party that advocates for the rights and autonomy of the Balochistan province. Led by Akhtar Mengal, a former Chief Minister of Balochistan, the party has long criticized federal policies on military operations and resource distribution in the region.