About 300 missing persons return home in Balochistan: BNP-M

ISLAMABAD: Ever since the inception of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government, nearly 300 missing persons have returned home, reveals Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M)’s Central Information Secretary and MNA Agha Hasan Jan.

However, he said his party leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal wants speeding up the process besides implementation of five others points of the agreement he had signed with PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi in early August.

Mengal and Agha Hasan called on former secretary general of PTI Jehangir Khan Tareen here and discussed the progress so far made on the six-point agreement, which includes recovery of 5,123 missing persons, implementation of six percent quota of jobs for Balochistan, building of check dams and ensuring share of the province in its natural resources and early repatriation of Afghan refugees, particularly from Pakistan’s largest province.

BNP-Mengal legislator told The News that his party leadership reminded Tareen of the realisation of the agreement. He explained that during his speech on the floor of the National Assembly, Sardar Akhtar Mengal had made mention of the list of missing persons and then it was shared with the NA Secretariat to be made part of the record.

Asked why they met Tareen, who held neither government nor a party position, he contended that the veteran politician was present at the time of signing of the agreement and instrumental too in thrashing it out.

“Sardar sahab emphasised that for mainstreaming of the nationalists and confidence-building, early implementation of the agreement is imperative, which includes early and honourable repatriation of Afghan refugees, who have already impacted every sphere of Pakistani life,” Agha Hasan maintained.

About the possibility of joining the federal government, he said that it was too early but they would like to first see smooth redressal of their concerns and even 50 per cent progress might compel them to consider this option at any stage.

“We voted for PTI at the time of election of prime minister, the speaker without any pre-condition, which demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding the provincial interests,” he pointed out. A PTI source said that Tareen assured the BNP-Mengal that the government would not disappoint its allies, terming the six points genuine issues.