The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) has warned that it would not participate in the general elections 2013 if incidents of killing of its workers continued and “no go areas” in Khuzdar were not set up.
This was stated by the BNP-M acting president, Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini who along with the party’s Information Secretary Agha Hassan Baloch and other leaders was addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press Club on Thursday.
“Khuzdar has become a no-go area and a specific armed group is involved in killing of BNP-M activists while our party leadership and workers in Kalat are also receiving threats,” Jamaldini alleged.
He said although Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ibrahim and caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Ghous Bakhsh Barozai had held meetings with BNP-M chief Akhtar Jan Mengal in Karachi and had assured him of providing a peaceful environment for conducting free and fair elections, the party was still facing difficulties in continuing its election campaign.
“The BNP-M is fully prepared to participate in the general elections 2013 with full enthusiasm, but, hardships and difficulties are being put in the way of the party,” he claimed.
Jamaldini said his party had fielded candidates in 28 districts of Balochistan to contest general elections.
He said his party was ready to make an alliance with likeminded political parties, adding that the next chief minister of Balochistan might be from nationalist Baloch and Pashtun political parties.
Jamaldini demanded the federal government induct another Baloch minister in the federal cabinet.
Meanwhile, Haji Zahid, a tribal and political leader from Panjgur announced joining the BNP-M.
