Pervez Khattak tasked to appease disgruntled BNP-M –PM Imran directs negotiating team to address concerns of coalition parties

ISLAMABAD : After Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal announced his party’s withdrawal with the ruling coalition, the federal government on Thursday decided that it would reach out to the BNP-M to address their grievances. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan here in Islamabad. Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Ministry for Planning Asad Umar, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Shafqat Mehmood and Babar Awan attended the meeting. The committee, comprising Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak and Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, was formed to hold meeting with disgruntled BNP-M. During the meeting, PM Imran Khan directed the government negotiation team to remove the reservations of PTI-led government allies including the BNP-Mengal. In this connection, PM Imran has tasked Pervez Khattak to meet with representatives of disgruntled allies and address their concerns. The government negotiation team briefed the prime minister about the dialogues and contacts made with BNP-Mengal. The premier directed the team to formally restart negotiations with BNP-Mengal once The meeting agreed that all allies of government are important and their reservations will be addressed. The BNP-M had announced to part ways with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led (PTI) coalition government after remaining part of the coalition for around 2 years. This was announced by BNP-Mengal chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal during the National Assembly session in Islamabad. “I am officially announcing that our party is separating itself from the PTI government, said Akhtar Mengal. The BNP-Mengal chief said that he will remain a part of the National Assembly and keep raising their problems in the lower house of parliament. Last year, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and the government come to an agreement, as the latter accepted all of the six points put forth by the opposition party. According to an agreement, the govt announced to increase the quota of government jobs for Balochistan to 6 percent. A committee had been formed on the issue on missing persons and some progress will be witnessed on the matter soon, the minister said. The tube-wells in Balochistan will be run by solar energy, while the electricity will be provided on subsidy to the province, Khattak said. It must be noted that the BNP-Mengal and PTI had signed a six-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) in August 2018 for an alliance at the Centre. The BNP-M has four seats in the National Assembly.