Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chairman Akhtar Mengal announced on Tuesday that he has resigned as a member of the National Assembly.

Mengal was elected as MNA from Khuzdar (NA-256) in the general elections.

In a post on social media X, he wrote that his resignation is a tribute to his father Sardar Attaullah Mengal on his third death anniversary.

He said that the current situation of Balochistan forced him to resign, adding that the province has been continuously neglected by the House.

“With no real representation of the people of Balochistan in this assembly, even voices like mine cannot bring about any meaningful change.”

The BNP-M chief’s resignation comes amid security tensions in Balochistan following deadly attack last week.

As per the digital database of security incidents managed by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) – an Islamabad-based think tank, Balochistan experienced 28 terrorist incidents during August 2024, which resulted in 57 deaths and injuries to another 84 people.

Most of these terrorism-related casualties in the province resulted from the banned BLA-orchestrated attacks on August 26 in over seven districts of the province targeting security forces, non-Baloch Pakistanis (mainly Punjabis) and national infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Akhtar further said that it has become clear that “our protests or expressions of opinion are always met with opposition”.

Bugti says efforts afoot to end terrorism in Balochistan

“Our people are either silenced, branded as traitors, or worse, killed. Under the circumstances, I find it impossible to continue to act in this capacity, as my presence here has not been of any benefit to the people I represent.

“Therefore, I request that my resignation be accepted. May Allah protect Balochistan and make it prosperous.”