Sardar Akhtar Mengal in an interview with an anchorperson of a private channel let loose a barrage of accusations and claimed that every day mutilated dead bodies are found in Balochistan, and that efforts are being made to bring heads of death squad into politics. He however did not deem it important to name the heads of the death squad. Though he insinuated establishment, yet he said that Army Chief Pervez Ashfaq Kayani, instead of issuing statements, should take steps for bringing peace and holding free, fair and transparent elections in Balochistan.

He tried to put his father Attaullah Mengal on a very high pedestal by saying that he was against sardari system. Fact of the matter is that Balochistan province is still the den of an oppressive sardari and feudal order even in these contemporary times, and people of Balochistan have been wronged by all sardars, and Attullah Mengal is no exception. He may be different from Bugtis and Marris, yet he is on record to having said in an interview with private channel that he would welcome anybody including Americans to help him in getting independence from Pakistan.

Anyhow, the biggest ruse of Sardar Akhtar Mengal during the interview was when he said: "People of Balochistan do not wish progress and prosperity, but want the recovery of missing persons; and that he was willing to withdraw the BNM from all national and provincial assembly seats in exchange of missing persons". Akhtar Mengal has indeed influence over his clan and in his area, but how can he issue statement on behalf of all the people of Balochistan? It is difficult to assess as to what is the objective of Sardar Akhtar Mengal's visit to Pakistan. Does he want to participate in democratic process, and maneuver to once again be installed as chief minister of Balochistan? Or has he been sent by his foreign 'mentors' at a time when administrative control of the Gwadar Port has been handed over to China, and Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline has been inaugurated? Since Akhtar Mengal has opposed handing over the Gwadar Port to China and Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, the latter perception seems to be logical. The objective is to fuel the tension and create turmoil to provide justification to the big powers to intervene in Balochistan.

Six months ago Sardar Akhtar Mengal had written a letter to the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry requesting to be allowed to present the case of Balochistan before the Supreme Court. He was allowed to present his case, and he let loose a barrage of accusations before a three-member-bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. However, Mengal sardars apparently want to give democracy a chance. Attaullah Mengal was chief minister of Balochistan in 1970s; Akhtar Mengal was chief minister of Balochistan during second stint of Mian Nawaz Sharif as prime minister of Pakistan. Akhtar Mengal's government was shown the door after he had expressed his anger for not taking him into confidence in making arrangements before detonating nuclear devices in May 1998. Unfortunately, our political leaders have not imbibed democratic traditions and often act in an arrogant manner. It is true that Mian Nawaz should have taken the Balochistan chief minister into confidence, but there was not need to convene the central executive of BNM to go into confrontation with the federal government.

After four and a half years, Balochistan National Party chief Akhtar Mengal arrived in Quetta and addressed a public rally. Although he is giving contradictory statements, yet there is some positive development, as he is participating in the elections and apparently believes in democratic process.
Reportedly, he was warned by Brahamdagh Bugti leader of Balochistan Republican Party (BRP) and Harbiyar Marri of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), both accused of fueling insurgency in the violence-plagued province, had criticized Akhtar Mengal's decision to participate in the elections. They accused him of sabotaging their movement for independent Balochistan. Anyhow, Akhtar Mengal appears to have distanced himself from them, and asked those gone up the mountains to come down, as armed struggle is not the solution to the problem. There seems to be another fissure between Mengals, Bugtis and Marris. But one has to keep one's fingers crossed, as one would not know if it is a nura kushti (fixed fight).

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