Ayub calls for ‘fact-finding mission’ to assess Balochistan’s situation

ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub has called for the formation of a “fact-finding mission” to assess the situation in Balochistan.

His demand came a day after the resignation of a veteran lawmaker, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, from the National Assembly over the prevailing situation in the province. Ayub termed the people of the province “more patriotic” than that of the rest of the country.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ayub, who is the general secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), insisted on taking Mengal’s resignation seriously and asked the government for the redressal of the grievances pertaining to the province’s stakeholders.

The Leader of Opposition insisted that the ministers of the Balochistan government cannot talk to people and the province’s youth does not want to listen to them. “They [people of Balochistan] have a right to their resources. Talk to them,” he said, claiming that the federal government doesn’t want to talk to them. “If they do not talk, how will the federation work?” he added.

Meanwhile, BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Wednesday refused to take back his National Assembly resignation, as the government assured the politician of addressing his grievances.

“I have no intention of withdrawing [my] resignation,” the lawmaker said while speaking to journalists after meeting a government delegation, which was headed by Adviser to Prime Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah, Geo News reported.

The delegation — which also comprises Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Usman Badiani, Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani and Khalid Magsi — assured Mengal of addressing his grievances and asked him to withdraw his resignation.

However, the BNP-M chief said they tried to convince him, but instead “I convinced them”. During the meeting, Mengal said he raised issues regarding Balochistan’s exploitation, missing persons, and unfair distribution of resources.