Govt decides to hold talks with BNP-M, GDA

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to hold talks with the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) , Geo News reported on Saturday. 

The federal government has decided to contact its coalition allies, the GDA and the BNP-P. A co-ordination committee representing the government will hold talks with members of the next parties after conducting meetings with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) and the Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). 

The meeting between the government's co-ordination committee and GDA representatives is scheduled to take place next week. 

The purpose behind the meetings is to ensure the government remains updated about the reservations and demands of its coalition partners. 

The decision by the government to reach out to its allies comes a few days after Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the BNP-M's chief, lashed out at the government over the arrest of four women from Balochistan's Awaran district. 

Mengal had said that the women were arrested without any warrants . He had accused the federal government of being negligent towards the rights of the people of Balochistan. Mengal had led a sit-in protest in front of the speaker's dais in the parliament. 

The government is bolstering its relations with allies  after the Supreme Court directed it to bring necessary legislation within six months pertaining to the extension of General Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure as army chief. 

Earlier during the week, the foreign minister had held talks with a delegation of the MQM-P in Karachi where both reiterated support for each other.