The infamous Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal is the grandson of Naik Muhammad Muhammadzai, a Baloch traitor born in 1973 and the son of Naseer Ahmad Muhammadzai, who was a pawn of the occupying state of Pakistan. Shafiq Mengal was raised in turbulent madrassas where immorality, vulgarity and degradation were at their peak and this environment nourished Shafiq to become a monster.
At a young age, Shafiq became associated with the extortion mafia of Karachi. Extortion and other anti-social activities became part of his daily life. Apart from Karachi, he started sponsoring kidnapping for ransom groups in inner Sindh. He chose Hyderabad as his centre in Sindh.
When Musharaf’s military government came to power in 2000, the struggle for Baloch independence once again gained momentum. The Pakistani regime activated its proxies to stall the Balochistan’s freedom struggle.
Pakistan’s ISI often picks anti-social elements from society to further its political ambitions. Shafiq Mengal and his brother Atta-ur-Rehman were useful and trustworthy assets for them. After all, they belonged to a traitor family that was always loyal to the occupying forces. Shafiq Mengal and his brother were recruited in ISI and Khuzdar was assigned to the brothers to crush Baloch national struggle in the district.
Meanwhile, as the Baloch revolutionaries intensified operations in the Khuzdar district, the brothers assigned a task to their local gangs, especially their uncle Qoodus Muhammadzai Mengal to suppress the Baloch freedom fighters. Besides, Shafiq Mengal started working with other people including famous car thief Rasheed Kulti, ISI’s proxy journalist Faizuddin Sasoli, Ghulam Rasool Mohammad Hasani, an agent of ISI and the father of Zakaria (a famous Death Squad operator).
In Zehri, Murtaza Zehri and Mir Ayub Jattak’s son-in-law were given responsibilities to counter the Baloch national struggle and a Death Squad was formed in the name of Baloch Musallah Defa Tanzeem (Baloch armed resistance Organisation).
ISI and Pakistan Army routinely outsource their genocidal activities in Balochistan to criminals and gangsters. Shafiq Mengal is one such pawn of the Pakistan Army.
During this time the Baloch freedom fighters began clearing Khuzdar by eliminating Shafiq’s uncle Qoodus and other Death Squad members and operatives. Shafiq Mengal along with his brother and other religious fanatic groups such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi founded the religious extremist organization Haq-na-Natwar (voice of truth) and set up training camps in the western hills of Baghbana near Khuzdar and a second base camp in Khatikappar district Khuzdar.
The Taliban also set up its central camp on a huge property inside a madrassa near Jhalawan complex bus stop, Khuzdar. This camp was linked with Baghbana and Khatikappar camps. Shafiq Mengal with the coordination of state intelligence agencies began kidnapping and killing activists of the pro-freedom parties who were holding demonstrations for Balochistan’s freedom using peaceful means.
The major achievement of these religious extremists was a military operation with the help of the Pakistan Army in Tootak on February 18, 2011, where they raided the entire village, abducted dozens of people and disappeared them, many of whom were martyred later. After these brutalities, Shafiq Mengal established his main camp in the village of Tootak, district Khuzdar.
He also allied with Mir Zeb Zehri (nephew of ex-CM Nawab Sana Ullah Zehri), who set up his two camps in areas of Zehri, district Khuzdar and Ghoneko, district Kalat. On the one hand they started targeting Baloch freedom fighters, and on the other they began looting the travelers on the Karachi-Quetta road. Lifting cars and looting passengers travelling in the coaches and minibuses on national highways become a normal activity.
Shafiq Mengal’s associates from different areas also became active in their areas. Such as Iqbal Bizenjo in Naal, Khudai Ram in Besima, Mullah Barkat in Mushky, Zakria Mohammad Hassani, Younis Mohammad Shahi, Dr. Ismat Mohammad Shahi, Dr. Anwar Mohammad Shahi in Naal and Khuzdar. Wadera Farooq in Karkh, Zafar Sasoli and his cousins became active in Zaidi. Mir Murad Sheikh in Sasol, Mula Bakhsh in Zehri became active.
In 2014 mass graves were discovered in Tootak and Pakistan’s reputation was at stake as it was a major evidence of Pakistan’s hand in the killing of Baloch people. The Baloch people were angry against Death Squads and the Pakistani military. The local Death Squads split after the discovery of mass graves. Pakistan wanted to cover-up the story of mass graves, therefore, it dismantled some groups temporarily. A rift emerged between inactive and active groups and they became enemies. In the ensuing confrontation, they killed more than fifty members of each other. The major factions belonged to Mir Zeb Zehri and Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal.
Then the differences between Mir Zeb and his cousin Doda Khan escalated and there was a disagreement between Shafiq Mengal and Mula Barkat. The mass graves of Tootak had a direct effect on Shafiq Mengal. Shafiq Mengal captured and killed Mula Barkat during their internal fights. Agencies were upset by Shafiq Mengal after the discovery of mass graves and the murder of Mulla Barkat. Pakistan’s Military Intelligence and ISI also turned against each other and serious differences arose between them on the handling of matters in Balochistan.
The torture cell set up at the residence of Khuzdar’s Deputy Commissioner supervised by Deputy Commissioner Waheed Shah was temporarily closed. Mir Zeb and his cousin Sikandar Zehri son of Sanaullah Zehri were killed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in an IED attack. Shafiq Mengal’s status and grip reduced after this incident because it is said that when Mir Zeb was killed, there was mourning in GHQ Rawalpindi. The GHQ believed that they had suffered a great loss because of Shafiq Mengal’s stupidity and selfishness. Following that Zakaria Muhammad Hasani and Shakeel Durrani became active in Khuzdar.
Now, after being underground for a long time, in 2020, Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal was summoned to Islamabad and was given a new responsibility by the ISI. Six months later, he returned to Quetta and held a press conference. The political circles expressed concern that once again arrangements have been made to reactivate these notorious groups in Balochistan.
In this regard, Shafiq Mengal has recently gone to Islamabad and is working with Rana Ashfaq, the head of Hafiz Saeed’s party Milli Muslim League to come up with a new strategy. Credible sources said that ISI had also arranged a meeting with the infamous international terrorist Hafiz Saeed. It is believed that once again, various religious groups in Balochistan will be united and start their activities under the banner of ISIS.
The suicide bombers will be exported to India, Kashmir, Afghanistan and other countries for their so-called Jihad. While the remaining jihadis will be trained to fight against the Baloch freedom fighters and help the Pakistan Army during military operations in Balochistan.