QUETTA: Senior politician from Balochistan Mir Nadeem ur Rehman strongly criticized Sardar Akhtar Mengal for what he described as a legacy of hypocrisy and double standards that have harmed Balochistan.
Speaking on a podcast with anchor Pakeeza Khan for the digital news channel Buraq Digital, he recounted how, during Pakistan’s nuclear tests, Mengal personally drove Nawaz Sharif to Chagai mountains, yet later tried to justify his actions to the people of Balochistan.
According to Rehman, Mengal’s contradictory words and actions have long confused the Baloch population. He also discloed that in 2006, Mengal incited violence during a rally by urging people to kill Punjabis, saying they could take his name if questioned.
Rehman further criticized Mengal’s political moves, unmasking his voting for the extension of the Army Chief while simultaneously spreading anti-Punjabi rhetoric—despite having family ties among Punjabis himself.
He pointed out the irony of Mengal encouraging Baloch youth to take to the mountains while sending his own children to study at Oxford University. Despite resigning from the National Assembly, Mengal allegedly pleaded with the Sharif brothers not to accept his resignation.
Rehman traced Mengal’s opportunistic behavior back through history, claiming he once worked as an agent for Russia and later aligned himself with India post-9/11.
He disclosed Mengal’s ancestors of serving British colonial powers, saying they received the title of “Sardar” as a reward for their loyalty.
Even today, according to Rehman, Mengal’s leadership style is about dominating others. He slammed Mengal for destroying merit in Balochistan and politicizing teacher appointments to cripple the education system.
He added that true Baloch are patriotic and loyal to Pakistan out of ideological conviction. Any attack on Baloch traditions and culture, he said, would first be challenged by fellow tribesmen. Rehman said that Mengal and his allies act on behalf of foreign powers, particularly India, by inciting violence and targeting civilians.
Meanwhile, they attempt to discredit genuine Baloch voices by calling them agents of Islamabad.
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Finally, he criticized the tactic of using Baloch women as human shields during confrontations, calling it cowardly. He said these groups exploit women’s arrests to stir public emotion and revive their dead political careers. Rehman called it the height of shamelessness and betrayal. In true Baloch tradition, he emphasized, women stand beside men in times of need—but never as political pawns.
