In a significant political development, Akhtar Mengal, leader of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal), has submitted his demands to the occupied-government concerning the proposed constitutional amendments. With BNP-Mengal’s two Senate votes gaining crucial importance, Mengal has positioned his party as a key player in the ongoing legislative process.
Reportedly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached out to Sardar Akhtar Mengal via phone to discuss the constitutional amendment. During the conversation, Mengal requested a draft of the proposed amendments.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal has linked his party’s Senate votes to the immediate recovery of 2,000 missing persons, a longstanding issue in Pak-occupied-Balochistan, where enforced disappearances are a persistent concern.
Pakistani media have reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured Mengal that discussions on his demands will take place, signaling potential negotiations between the two parties as the occupied-government seeks to pass the constitutional amendments in the Senate.
The BNP-Mengal leader’s demands highlight the ongoing issue of enforced disappearances in POB, a critical point of contention between the province and the Pak Army backed-central authority. The recovery of missing persons has been a core demand of the BNP-Mengal, and this latest political maneuver could put pressure on the occupied-government to address the matter.