Ali Hassan Zehri Criticizes Akhtar Mengal, Urges Militants in Mountains to Surrender
HUB: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Ali Hassan Zehri has strongly criticized Sardar Akhtar Mengal and his politics, while urging people involved in militant activities in the mountains to surrender and return to civilian life.
Addressing an Independence Day ceremony in Hub, Zehri played a speech by Akhtar Mengal and questioned how political figures from Balochistan could be labelled as traitors.
Zehri alleged that funding for Mengal had stopped and claimed that while Mengal was living in Dubai, poor Baloch youths were being sent to the mountains. He also made allegations regarding funds linked to Reko Diq and questioned who provided vehicles for Mengal’s political gatherings. These allegations were made by Zehri and were not independently verified.
He said Mengal should continue doing politics but refrain from what he described as baseless criticism of the PPP. Zehri claimed that Mengal’s party had lost its political standing and that he had been left isolated within the party.
Zehri also alleged that Mengal had held a meeting with individuals linked to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi against Pakistan. The allegation was not independently verified.
Speaking about President Asif Ali Zardari, Zehri said the PPP leadership respected him deeply and urged political figures to choose their words carefully when speaking about the president.
Zehri also criticized what he described as Mengal’s political stance toward Punjab, questioning his opposition to Punjabis while referring to a marriage alliance involving Mengal’s daughter.
He claimed that Zardari had been working continuously to deal with national affairs and that major decisions were being taken in consultation with him.
Referring to the Pakistan Army, Zehri said the military was highly respected and praised Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership. He said Pakistan’s armed forces were being appreciated internationally, including in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
On the country’s political future, Zehri claimed that after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif completes two and a half years, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would become prime minister for the following two and a half years.
Zehri also appealed to people involved in militant activities in the mountains to surrender and return to society to pursue employment and education.
He alleged that militants were attacking infrastructure and targeting ordinary travellers, while armed elements were entering Balochistan from Afghanistan through the Noshki border.
Warning those who had taken up arms, Zehri said they should surrender and return to civilian life, otherwise a security operation could take place in Balochistan within the next two to three months.
He concluded by saying that the stability of Pakistan was essential for the stability and future of Balochistan.
