The Real Motive Behind Long March of BNP-M

BNP-M and Akhtar Mengal have become fully exposed for their deceptive politics. While they loudly advocate for Baloch rights, they have quietly looted billions of rupees allocated under the PSDP funds, which were meant to uplift the impoverished communities of Wadh, Khuzdar, Kalat, and other parts of Balochistan. In the fiscal year 2022-23, BNP-M secured a staggering Rs. 13.4 billion for 430 schemes, and in 2023-24, they seized another Rs. 16.7 billion for 661 schemes.. The people of Balochistan are still deprived of basic amenities—there is no access to clean water, no healthcare, no schools, no jobs, and roads remain in a state of disrepair.

Instead of being used for the public welfare, these funds have been siphoned off to build personal business empires, including ventures in mineral exports, real estate, and luxurious properties in cities like Karachi, Quetta, Islamabad, and even abroad. BNP-M’s current politics has evolved into nothing more than a business empire that thrives on the miseries of the public. The people, who once trusted them to fight for their rights, have been tragically betrayed in favor of personal gain and vested interests.

Akhtar Mengal has announced a “Long March” scheduled for April 6, 2025, which he frames as a movement to address the grievances of the people of Balochistan. However, beneath the surface of his rhetoric about rights and justice lies a much darker objective: to normalize the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and destabilize Pakistan. This march, orchestrated in collaboration with the Balochistan Youth Council (BYC), has revealed a clear and undeniable link with the BLA.

Moreover, Mengal openly abandoned any pretense of neutrality, expressing sympathy for BLA terrorists. He not only sympathizes with militants accused of targeting security forces and civilians, but he also prays for their cause. These are the same militants responsible for slaughtering innocent Punjabi laborers, attacking security convoys, and bombing critical infrastructure projects meant to uplift the people of Balochistan. By framing these killers as “victims,” Mengal distorts reality and endorses a group that thrives on ethnic violence and chaos. His rhetoric mirrors the BLA’s strategy, which glorifies the murder of innocent civilians as “resistance.”

The role of the BYC in this narrative is equally disturbing. Though presented as a youth platform, the group operates as a front for the BLA, utilizing social media to radicalize Baloch youth with stories of “martyrdom” while coordinating logistics and funding with militant networks. When Mengal shares a stage with BYC leaders, he is not advocating for development; he is, in fact, recruiting foot soldiers for anarchy. This is not mere speculation—it is a well-documented pattern. The timing of the Long March coincided with an uptick in BLA attacks, including assaults on Chinese workers and power stations. To dismiss this as coincidence is to ignore the obvious connections.

It’s time to confront another uncomfortable truth: the narrative of “missing persons” promoted by Mengal and his allies is largely a fabrication. Many of these so-called “disappeared” individuals have not been taken by intelligence agencies; they have willingly joined terrorist camps in the mountains of Balochistan, where they train to kill their fellow Pakistanis based on ethnicity. Their families, fully aware of their militant activities, prefer to blame intelligence agencies, as this serves their personal and financial interests. By portraying their sons as “victims,” they gain sympathy from foreign-funded NGOs, secure asylum in Europe, and receive resources from hostile actors like India. Meanwhile, these militant sons murder innocent Punjabi laborers—poor men who risk their lives to feed their families.

In stark contrast, Pakistan’s state institutions remain steadfast in their commitment to Balochistan, despite the constant sabotage. While militants blow up schools, the state rebuilds them. While the BLA targets CPEC projects, the state invests in roads, hospitals, and infrastructure to connect remote villages. While Mengal amplifies foreign-funded propaganda, Pakistan’s security forces sacrifice their lives to protect citizens from all backgrounds—Baloch, Punjabi, and Pashtun alike. Other provinces like Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa face similar challenges, yet their leaders do not resort to ethnic terrorism. Why? Because they understand that progress comes through unity, not division.

Mengal’s political maneuvering is transparently aimed at exploiting Balochistan’s grievances to destabilize Pakistan, all while presenting himself as a “nationalist.” But his true agenda is laid bare by his actions and alliances. The BYC’s militant connections, his public sympathy for BLA terrorists, and the strategic timing of the Long March all point to one goal: chaos. This is a betrayal not just of Pakistan, but of the ordinary Baloch people who desire jobs, peace, and progress, not propaganda and violence.

The future of Balochistan will not be dictated by militants hiding in the mountains or activists spreading discord from abroad. It will be written by those who work to build, not destroy, and the state will ensure that they prevail.