QUETTA: The fresh political debate has emerged following criticism of Balochistan National Party (BNP) leader Akhtar Mengal over his participation in a protest in Quetta, with opponents accusing him of failing to condemn militant violence while allegedly using the issue of fallen police personnel for political purposes.
In this regard, Akhtar Mengal recently stated that members of the Pashtun community had not participated in his protest movement. In response, critics questioned the basis of the claim, arguing that Pashtun communities have historically distanced themselves from demonstrations where, they allege, Pashtun and Baloch government officials faced threats from militant groups.
The criticism further referred to the recent killings in Ziarat, stating that all of the victims were uniformed police officers who were allegedly targeted and killed by terrorist organizations, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
The incident has intensified calls for stronger action against militancy and greater support for law enforcement personnel serving in conflict-affected areas.
In this sense, as per the statement, the protest attended by Akhtar Mengal in Quetta coincided with a demonstration in which the bodies of the slain police officers were present, while citizens gathered to demand justice for the victims and their families.
The statement also questioned whether Akhtar Mengal had publicly condemned the militant groups allegedly responsible for the attack. It claimed that no direct remarks against the militants were made during his participation in the protest and accused him of using the deaths of the officers for political purposes.
However, no independent evidence was presented within the statement to support this allegation.
The statements have added to the ongoing political debate in Balochistan, where issues of security, militancy, and public representation remain highly sensitive.
So far, the political observers note that such exchanges reflect the deep divisions surrounding the province’s security challenges and underscore the importance of clear positions against violence from all stakeholders.
There has been no immediate public response from Akhtar Mengal regarding the criticism at the time of filing this report. The allegations remain the claims of the critics, and an official response from the BNP leadership is awaited.
