BNP-M breaks up with PTI coalition govt

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has announced the end of his party’s alliance with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), dealing a blow to the coalition government’s already thin mandate.

Mengal blindsided the PTI by making his dramatic announcement during the National Assembly debate on the federal budget on Wednesday. “Today I announce in Parliament the separation from PTI’s alliance,” said Mengal. He, however, clarified that his party will continue to be a part of the National Assembly and keep talking about their problems. He said the reason for his party’s departure from the coalition was that the agreement signed was not implemented by the government.

The BNP-M’s four seats in the National Assembly helped prop up the PTI in the centre, which along with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Awami Muslim League (AML) and the Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) formed the coalition government.

Mengal said the BNP-M supported the government in the election of the President, the Prime Minister, Speaker and Deputy Speaker. “Despite the opposition’s criticism, we supported the federal government in the budget. What did we get in return? It is unfortunate that there is no one here to hear our voices,” he added.

Mengal said his party waited for two years, but no one bothered to pay attention to his party’s demands, despite its full support of the government in the previous budget. He said the PTI signed two agreements. One, at the time of the government’s formation after the 2018 General Election and the other during the presidential elections, “but not a single point of the accord was implemented”. “We will stay in Parliament and will keep raising the issues,” he vowed.

He said the problems of Balochistan should be addressed and it should be given its due share in development. The BNP-M chief regretted the cuts made in the share of provinces in the National Finance Commission (NFC) as well as the annual Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

Mengal said locusts have badly damaged crops in 32 districts of Balochistan and warned the consequences could be dire if effective steps were not taken to control the crop destroying pests.

Opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Rana Sanaullah said: “The government has not done anything to fulfil its promises vis-a-vis the construction of five million houses and the provision of 10 million jobs to the people. The budget envisages no measures to create job opportunities and enhance resources of the country.” Before the BNP-M, the PTI has had trouble reining in its coalition members. In January, MQM-P lawmaker Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui announced that he was resigning as federal minister for information technology because the PTI “did not fulfil its promises”. During the period, Farogh Naseem, an MQM-P senator, continued to represent the party as law minister. The MQM-P then re-joined the cabinet in March, after the PTI promised development funds for stronghold cities of Karachi and Hyderabad in addition to an additional ministry at a later stage.