Balochistan National Party (BNP) Chief Akhtar Mengal has announced that his party would actively take part in the forthcoming general elections. This is a welcome departure from the stand he had taken soon after his arrival from London that like Kashmiris, the Baloch also deserve to get the right to self-determination. The decision to participate in the election was taken at a meeting of BNP chaired by him in Karachi on Wednesday. In his media interaction after the meeting he said that the criterion to judge that good days were ahead for Balochistan is that the electoral process took place in full freedom and fairness and in a transparent manner.
Sardar Mengal further said that he was a political person and had no enmity with anyone. His decision to be part of the election process and upon winning election to take oath under the constitution of Pakistan is, indeed, a happy sign. His stand clarifies the earlier position he had taken about the right of self-determination One hopes he is able to persuade angry Baloch nationalists to join the mainstream politics. If voted to power, one expects, he would live up to the people’s expectations. The government, on its part, must ensure level playing field to all political parties, including Baloch nationalist.