{"id":1872,"date":"2026-02-11T11:25:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T11:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=1872"},"modified":"2026-02-11T11:25:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T11:25:21","slug":"na-speaker-accepts-resignation-of-bnp-m-chief-akhtar-mengal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=1872","title":{"rendered":"NA speaker accepts resignation of BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal"},"content":{"rendered":"


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National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday accepted the resignation of veteran politician Sardar Akhtar Mengal, chief of his faction of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-M),<\/p>\n

Mengal, who was elected<\/u><\/a> as an MNA from Khuzdar (NA-256) in the 2024 general elections, had submitted<\/a> his resignation in September that year, citing the \u201cprevailing situation in Balochistan\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cN League (PML-N) has at last accepted my resignation after dragging its feet long enough to expose its own fear,\u201d Mengal said in a social media post, referring to the speaker\u2019s party.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas it the applause that unsettled you or the fact that I could draw crowds in Punjab\u2019s core?\u201d he asked, apparently referring to his participation in a charged discussion about Balochistan<\/a> at the Asma Jahangir Conference held recently in Lahore.<\/p>\n

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At the event, Mengal had criticised recent political and electoral developments, alleging that mainstream Baloch political leadership had been sidelined.<\/p>\n

He also expressed concern over restrictions on political activity, media access and civil liberties.<\/p>\n

Mengal said he had \u201cnot withdrawn one rupee\u201d since he tendered his resignation, adding that he had vacated Parliament Lodges 17 months ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the record, not one rupee has been withdrawn since my resignation. Every amount remains in Parliament\u2019s bank. The lodges were vacated 17 months ago and I have not resided there since. Adios!\u201d<\/p>\n

The senior politician had resigned over security tensions in Balochistan after the Aug 26, 2024 deadly attacks<\/u><\/a> across the province and increased protests<\/u><\/a> against enforced disappearances.<\/p>\n

Soon after the resignation was submitted, the government and the PTI beseeched<\/a> Mengal to take back his resignation and continue to be a voice for Balochistan in the lower house of Parliament.<\/p>\n

In July 2025, the BNP-M chief was barred from travelling abroad<\/a>, with immigration officials at the Quetta airport info\u00adrming him that his name had been placed in the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL), a temporary travel ban to stop people from going abroad.<\/p>\n

Two months later, the Balochistan High Court had declared<\/a> the travel ban illegal and directed authorities to immediately lift the restriction.<\/p>\n

<\/a>\u2018Marginalised and ignored\u2019<\/h2>\n

In his resignation letter<\/u><\/a> addressed to the NA speaker, Mengal had said the \u201cprevailing situation in Balochistan has compelled me to take this step\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur province has consistently been marginalised and ignored by this House. Each day, we are pushed further against the wall, leaving us with no choice but to reconsider our roles.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lack of genuine representation in this Assembly for the people of Balochistan has left voices like mine unable to bring meaningful change.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has become increasingly clear that our attempts to speak or protest are met with hostility, our people are either silenced, labelled as traitors, or worse, killed,\u201d Mengal wrote in his letter.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder such circumstances, I find it impossible to continue in this capacity, as my presence here no longer serves any purpose for the people I represent,\u201d Mengal wrote.<\/p>\n