Balochistan National Party (BNP) MNA Abdul Rauf Mengal could not tender his resignation from the National Assembly on Tuesday, as both the speaker and his deputy did not give him the floor despite he rose several times.
"I wanted to make a statement indicating reasons for quitting the assembly as member before tendering the resignation, but was not allowed," he told a news conference at the parliament cafeteria after the sitting was adjournment till Wednesday morning.
He told a group of journalists, earlier, he would be now resigning on Wednesday, adding some senior opposition leaders had asked him on Monday to delay the resignation for one day, as they wanted to talk to Balochistan National Party president Akhtar Mengal for a collective decision.
Mengal turned down a proposal from the chief whip that he should hand over his resignation to the assembly secretary instead of doing so on the floor of the house.
The lawmaker said BNP senator Sanaullah Baloch, who is currently abroad, would be dispatching his resignation by fax, if not allowed to return.
The Balochistan National Party MNA said his party stood by its appeal to the United Nations, the Amnesty International and Nato to intervene and save them.
"Nato forces are ideally stationed in Afghanistan to come to Balochistan and protect us. If they come to the aid of the government when October earthquake hit Pakistan and Kashmir why not they be able to help Baloch people," he maintained.
He was of the view Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) had shown solidarity with Baloch people at this hour of grief and anger by agitating and Punjab MPAs had also staged a sit-in outside the assembly and earlier held an all-party conference in Lahore.
"But this is not enough. They will have to decide now if they want to get rid of the generals. But so far, the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy has not given a categorical assurance on quitting assemblies," he said in reply to a question.
He believed being the biggest province Punjab could play a vital role in elimination of generals' dominance in politics.
The MNA did not agree when asked had not the BNP decided to opt for an armed struggle after distancing themselves from the system.
He explained his party still believed in a peaceful political struggle.
He held President General Musharraf, ministers and provincial government in Balochistan responsible for the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti.
When his attention was drawn toward a statement by Balochistan National Party leader Attaullah Mengal that they would not like to be identified as Pakistanis, he remarked, "this is the sentiment of every Baloch who has been denied his rights and crushed."
Rauf Mengal brushed aside General Musharraf's statement that only three Baloch sardars were creating problems in the province, saying the reaction on Bugti's barbaric murder should open his eyes.
Comments
Comments are closed.