'PTI failed to deliver': Mengal sheds light on decision to quit coalition govt

BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has revealed that in the days leading to his separation from the Centre a ruling party delegation had met with him to dissuade him from the decision but that he had firmly told them that they "failed to deliver".

Appearing in Hamid Mir's "Capital Talk" hours after his announcement to quit the coalition on Wednesday, Mengal said that two days prior, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, former prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri met with him.

"I made it clear to them that this is my party's decision and you have failed to deliver," said Mengal.

He said that National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had also spoken to him yesterday.

"I told him as well that if it isn't possible for you [to keep your word], then just say it."

He said he told the speaker "we should end this on good terms rather than trading barbs with each other", at which Qaiser requested for some more time.

Mengal said he told Qaiser that "two years [since PTI came into power] might seem a small period to you and me, but for a home from where a youth goes missing, for his family, every passing moment is devastating".

"Even a child learns to walk in two years. You [PTI] haven't even learned to walk," said the BNP-M chief.

When asked how long it had been since he last met Prime Minister Imran Khan, Mengal said that it had been a year.

He said that during his party's short-lived association with the PTI, several meetings were held in which disappointment was expressed over a lack of progress on the missing persons issue.

"In that time, sometimes five would be released, sometimes 10. But we saw that more people were being picked up than were being released."

He said his party's pacts with the PTI were not on a single matter. One agreement was struck in August which pertained to political issues and one in September over Balochistan's development.

"We would ask them why no work was being done and many committees were formed in this time," he said.

He continued: "The first committee was formed under the leadership of Jahangir Tareen and after that under the late Naeem-ul-Haq. Haq said that the earlier committee had been dissolved so we should take a fresh start.

"After his committee, a new committee was formed under [Jahangir] Tareen which again started things from scratch. Now, Tareen is nowhere to be seen — I don't know if he has been kicked out of the country, or the party or what. That's between them [...] we believe that our party is being played with."

He said the PTI-led government had been given ample time to address the party's grievances. "We felt that we can solve these problems if we sit together. But we saw no seriousness on their part."

Responding to a question over the number estimated to be missing, Mengal said about 417 people had been recovered while a list of some 500 has been handed over to the National Assembly. There are about a 1,000 more who are part of a list that has not fully been compiled, he added.

He said that a list of 5,128 cases had been submitted to the National Assembly in 2018.

Mengal was asked about the fulfilment of the party's other demands which include Balochistan receiving 70% of the income from projects like Reko Dik, for construction of new dams, and for a six percent quota to be fixed for Balochistan in the federal government. He said none came to fruition.

"There was no progress on the quota. Arbab Shehzad used to promise us that he would give us a list of how many people from the province were inducted."

"From the 6%, not even six people were inducted."

Speaking about whether the prime minister should take another vote of confidence at the National Assembly, he said: "There is no doubt that PTI has the majority for now, but if the rest of the coalition partners leave their side, then abiding by the Constitution, the prime minister will have to take a vote of confidence."

Stressing that this was solely his party's decision, Mengal said that none of the other allies were involved.

The BNP-M chief was not unequivocal about whether or not he would take back his decision. However, he did say the party was not without fault, it was also not without weakness. After Akbar Bugti's death, "we decided to resign from the assemblies".

"It was the central committee's decision," Mengal added. "And today, too, it was the central committee's decision.

"Not a single soul — not even I — dare violate it. If I do, I hold no right to lead the party."

He said he "cannot say whether cracks will surface" when asked about any chances of a no-confidence movement in the Balochistan Assembly.

"The allies here [at the Centre] are annoyed but our PTI friends there [in the Balochistan Assembly] also say they are cross with the government there. God give them strength [...] to unite for Balochistan's rights."