BNP-M wants census postponed in Balochistan

Mengal demands cancellation of CNICs issued to Afghan, other refugees; BNP-M, SUP announced joint fight for rights 

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) President Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal has demanded of the federal government to postpone the upcoming sixth national census in Balochistan, saying the situation in the province is not conducive to counting the people and houses there.

He made the demand at a joint press conference held at the Haider Manzil, the headquarters of the Sindh United Party (SUP), following a meeting with SUP President Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah.

The two parties have formed an alliance to help resolve the problems of the country.

Mengal said Balochistan “is in a state of war” and the situation would not allow the census staff to reach areas where the Baloch people lived.

He said the census was very important for the country, but the federal government had decided to carry out the exercise without consulting political parties. 

The BNP chief, who is also a former chief minister of the province, said a large number of Afghan and other foreign refugees were living in Balochistan illegally and his party would not accept the census in their presence because that would turn the Baloch majority into a minority.