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PTI team meets Akhtar Mengal at Balochistan House

By Mumtaz Alvi
August 03, 2018

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday reached out to Balochistan National Party President Sardar Akhtar Mengal for support in the formation of government in the Centre.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal presented his demands to the PTI team. The meeting took place at the Balochistan House as the BNP-N chief refused to visit Banigala. The PTI delegation was led by Imran’s close aide Naeemul Haq and PTI Balochistan chapter President Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, Mengal said he was grateful to PTI leaders, who visited him and invited his party to become a part of the coalition government. However, he maintained that stung by political parties in the past, the decision would be made with caution.

“PTI desires us to be their partners and we also want to take the mandate of our people to the assemblies. We will extend support only on categorical assurance on acceptance of our demands,” Mengal pointed out.

About the all parties conference of the opposition parties in Islamabad, he explained that they were not invited to the event and if invited, they would present their demands before those parties. “And whosoever would accept our demands, we are prepared to go along,” he emphasized. Earlier, he informed the PTI delegation about the issues faced by the people of Balochistan and said that till and said that till core issues were not resolved, Balochistan would not make progress. He raised the issue of missing persons with the visitors and said that the missing persons should be recovered safe and sound and the CPEC be implemented with regard to its share for Balochistan.

About formation of a coalition government in Balochistan, he made it clear that BNP would not blindly support anyone if a provincial chief minister was to be named without taking them on board.

He explained, “JUI-F is an ally and we will sit together and decide whether to sit in the opposition benches or not," he added. Speaking on the occasion, Rind said that Mengal's demands would be presented to PTI chairman. He was confident that the Imran-Mengal meeting would yield positive results and they would work together.

On naming of Balochistan Awami Party President Jam Kamal Khan as chief minister, Rind said that he had no objection on his nomination. Naeemul Haq said that meeting with Mengal was quite pleasant and that the demands made by him were new, which would be presented to Imran, who was going to be prime minister of Pakistan shortly. He said they assured Mengal that Imran would be the only prime minister, who would give due rights to Balochistan.

Mengal desired to receive Imran at Balochistan House on the possibility of mutual cooperation in future. In an another development, an independent lawmaker-elect from NA-190 Mohammad Amjad Farooq and two MPAs-elect of Punjab Assembly Mohsin Atta Khosa and Malik Ghulam Rasool Sangh from PP-288 and PP-83 respectively Thursday announced to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

They had a meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan at Chairman’s Secretariat Banigala here. The new-comers expressed complete confidence and trust in the leadership and party’s manifesto. Imran warmly welcomed the lawmakers into PTI’s fold.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen, led by Allama Raja Nasir Abbas called on Imran Khan here at Banigala to congratulate him on his victory in the general elections.

Speaking on the occasion, MWM leadership lauded chairman’s resolve to make the country a welfare state on the principles of the State of Madina. “We hope that preserving national integrity and honor will be the most pressing consideration of the foreign policy”, MWM leaders emphasised. Imran thanked MWM delegation for paying a visit to felicitate him.

In another development, Imran has directed to arrange the oath-taking event with austerity. He will take his oath in a simple ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr. According to the PTI’s Central Media Department, the party’s Central Secretary Information Fawad Chaudhry said that no foreign dignitaries were being invited and hence the ceremony would be completely national in its facade and essence.

“Only a few close friends of Imran Khan will be invited, as PTI chairman has directed to arrange the oath-taking event in a simple ceremony at the Presidency without any show of extravagance," he explained.

PTI leader Senator Faisal Javed also refuted the reports circulating in the media regarding invitations being sent to foreign players and actors to the oath-taking ceremony. “Being the custodians of taxpayers’ money, we are looking forward to hold a simple and austere oath-taking ceremony completely national in its façade and essence”, he maintained.

He stated that players from across the world including India had sent warm wishes to the Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan. PTI chairman, he added, heartily thanked everyone for wishing him on his party’s historic win in the elections.