The President of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Sardar Akhtar Mengal, has accused the PML-N-led government of exploiting the coalition in which his party was a member. The BNP-M had previously formed an alliance with the ruling PTI in 2018 but joined the PDM to bring down Imran Khan’s government. Mengal expressed his dissatisfaction with the policies of the PML-N-led coalition and hinted at the possibility of parting ways with them.
Mengal stated that the PML-N, PPP, and PTI had disappointed him, and he would now think twice before entering a coalition with any of these parties. He accused them of only calling upon his party for votes and then abandoning them once their purpose was served. When asked about being exploited by the PDM government, Mengal commented, “Everyone here only uses each other.”
Mengal claimed that the coalition government was formed with the involvement of the military establishment. He revealed that he had met with then-Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa after submitting a motion of no-confidence, and Bajwa wanted to maintain a balance between the PDM and PTI. According to Mengal, Bajwa’s differences with Imran Khan led to the formation of the PDM coalition.
Regarding the upcoming elections, Mengal stated that it was decided soon after the formation of the PDM that immediate elections would be held once their movement succeeded. He also raised questions about the return of Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N party leader, just before the elections, questioning why he did not return earlier and whether he had taken his former allies into confidence.
Mengal expressed skepticism about the government’s ability to deliver and doubted that any major party would be interested in holding elections. He further questioned the existence of the PDM and whether the end of the PTI government also marked the end of the PDM.