BNP-M leader Akhtar Mengal equates caretaker set-up’s governance to martial law after party members booked

BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Monday dubbed the caretaker government an ‘undertaker’ government and equated its governance to martial law, after members of his party were booked over what he described were “peaceful protests against death squads” purportedly tasked to “eliminate” him and his party.

Mengal made the accusation against Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar-led interim government in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

He said his party held peaceful protests all over Balochistan against an “operation being planned” against him, following which the action was taken.

“It’s not a caretaker government but as I said an undertaker, another name for martial law,” he added, asking where should he go for justice.

Mengal also posted a copy of the FIR (first information report), which was registered against him in Quetta Civil Line police station under section 147 (punishment for rioting), section 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), section 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and section 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Also nominated in the FIR was BNP Central Executive Committee member Ghulam Nabi Marri along with former MPAs Shakeela Naveed Dawar and Shumaila Ismail.

The had made provocative speeches against the caretaker government and accused it of sponsoring death squads, the complainant, a police official, alleged.

SSP Operations Jawad Tariq told Dawn.com that section 144 was imposed in Quetta and BNP-M leaders violated the provincial home department’s orders by blocking roads and staging a protest.

Deputy Commissioner Quetta Saad bin Asad added that the home department had directed him to impose section 144 in light of serious security threats received earlier.

He said the request submitted by the BNP-M to stage a protest was rejected, adding that the party leaders were informed about the looming security threats.

“There is a threat of attack on women and children in Quetta and sensitive institutions, but the orders of the police and district administration were completely ignored, due to which a case was registered against them.”