Akhtar Mengal declines ministry in protest against Chaghi incident

ISLAMABAD: Sardar Akhtar Mengal, an ally of the federal government and head of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal, did not attend the oath-taking ceremony of the federal cabinet on Tuesday in protest against the Chaghi incident. On the other hand, ANP declined to take any official position.

Sources privy to the development revealed that the BNP-Mengal chief refused to become a part of the federal cabinet and did not attend the oath-taking ceremony despite being invited. All efforts of the government to persuade Sardar Akhtar Mengal were in vain, the sources added. He demanded the formation of a probe commission on Chaghi firing incident.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) also declined to become a part of federal government. ANP chief Asfandyar Wali said that the priorities of ANP are masses not the government. 

He said he was thankful to PMLN and PPP on inviting them to join the government, reported a private news channel on Tuesday. Wali said that by keeping in view of the problems, ANP chief has proposed to include other allies in the cabinet.

Asfandyar Wali said that the country and government were already facing problems and they did not want to create further problems. From day one, their priorities are not the government ranks but people, the party organisation and ideology.