BNP founder Ataullah Mengal laid to rest in Wadh

Balochistan's first chief minister and founder of the Balochistan National Party Ataullah Mengal was laid to rest on Friday in his ancestral town of Wadh in Balochistan's district Khuzdar.

Mengal passed away a day earlier in Karachi after being ill for some time. He was hospitalised in the city for a week. He was 92.

His funeral prayers were held at the Government High School Wadh, close to 3:30pm, and were attended by a large number of political and tribal leaders.

The town of Wadh observed a shutter down in mourning. The BNP has announced a 40-day mourning period and in this time, the party flag will remain at half mast.

Who was Ataullah Mengal?

Sardar Ataullah Mengal was born in 1929 in Lasbela and was the first chief minister of Balochistan. After spending his childhood there, he moved to Karachi.

In 1954, he was declared the chief (sardar) of the Mengal tribe.

It was Mir Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo, a founding member of the National Awami Party (NAP), who introduced Mengal to the world of politics. In 1962, Mengal was elected to the West Pakistan provincial assembly.

Mengal was known for his outspoken nature and his fight for the rights of the Baloch people. According to an article by Herald, in 1973, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s PPP defeated NAP’s government in Balochistan and called a meeting of the politicians to inform them that he would form a new government after coming back from a trip abroad. Mengal demanded that there was no time for delay and the provincial government must be formed immediately.

Mengal’s words infuriated Bhutto, who then questioned him what he would do if his demand were not met right away. In response, Mengal said: “I would struggle against the injustices inflicted upon the Baloch and stand against you.”

Per the piece, Mengal, along with three other Baloch leaders and members of the NAP, was imprisoned soon afterwards under what is known as the “Hyderabad Conspiracy case.”