Akhtar Mengal’s resignation accepted after months

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has accepted the resignation of Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

Mengal, who was elected as a member of the lower house from Khuzdar’s NA-256 in the February 2024 elections, had tendered his resignation on September 3, 2024, , citing the worsening situation in the province and declaring no confidence in the state. His resignation was will take effect from the date it was given.

In a post X, Mengal said the government has accepted his “resignation after dragging its feet long enough to expose its own fear. Was it the applause that unsettled you or the fact that I could draw crowds in Punjab’s core?

“For the record not one rupee has been withdrawn since my resignation. Every amount remains in Parliament’s bank. The lodges were vacated 17 months ago and I have not resided there since,” he added.

The BNP-M chief announced his resignation during an NA session where he also expressed regret that he could not do anything for the people of the province, and decried not being given the right to rule and expressed a lack of trust in the whole system. His resignation came after the province was marred by a series of horrific attacks in August that resulted in over 50 deaths including 14 security personnel.

The government made efforts to convince him to reconsider his decision. A delegation led by Prime Minister’s aide Rana Sanaullah met Mengal in an attempt to assure him of addressing his grievances but he stood his group.

Last year in July, Mengal was offloaded from a Dubai-bound private airline’s flight while travelling to Dubai from Quetta, saying that he was told by Immigration staff that his name was placed in the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).

In 2025, he had also staged a 20-day sit-in at Mastung’s Lak Pass against the arrests of Baloch rights activists and police action. His party commenced a long march from Wadh to Quetta on March 28 and protested for nearly three weeks against the detention of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders and activists.