Akhtar Mengal barred from flying to Dubai

QUETTA: Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNPM) chief and former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal was Sunday barred from travelling to Dubai at the Quetta Airport, after immigration officials informed him that his name was included in the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).

According to airport authorities, Mengal was offloaded due to his name appearing on the PNIL. Following the incident, he issued a statement on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying he was stopped from travelling abroad without prior notice or any explanation.

“Today I was stopped at Quetta Airport from flying to Dubai. Airport officials informed me that my name is on the PNIL list. This decision was made without my knowledge and without any clear reason,” Mengal wrote.

The BNP spokesperson strongly condemned the move, calling it another example of political victimisation and an attack on democratic values. The party demanded that Akhtar Mengal’s name be immediately removed from the list and that those responsible for the decision be held accountable.

Meanwhile, no official clarification has been issued so far on the basis for Mengal’s inclusion in the PNIL. BNP’s Central Secretary Information and former federal minister Agha Hassan Baloch also condemned the travel restriction, terming it unconstitutional and politically motivated.

He added that the action was a clear violation of the constitutional right to freedom of movement and an attempt to suppress fundamental human rights. “We demand an immediate explanation from the authorities concerned. Such repressive tactics are unacceptable in a democratic setup. Political dissent and public representation must not be criminalised,” Agha Hassan said.

BNP leader Sana Baloch also denounced the travel ban, reiterating that Mengal’s removal from the flight and the inclusion of his name on the PNIL list were unconstitutional and politically driven. He said the action violated Article 15 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantees the right to free movement.

“We demand a prompt explanation from the authorities and immediate removal of Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s name from the PNIL. These authoritarian measures are unacceptable. Targeting political opposition and elected representatives is incompatible with constitutional democracy,” he added.