Baloch leader Sardar Attaullah Mengal passes away

KARACHI Sep 02.2021- Baloch leader Sardar Attaullah Mengal, the first Chief Minister of Balochistan, died in a private hospital here on Thursday evening. He was 93.

Sardar Attaullah Mengal was a senior political leader of Balochistan.

The family members said that Attaullah Mengal had been undergoing treatment at a local hospital for a week.

Attaullah Mengal was the father of Balochistan National Party (BNP) chief Akhtar Mengal. His spokesman said Attaullah Mengal would be buried in his hometown of Vad in Khuzdar district.

Sardar Attaullah Mengal was born in 1929. He spent his childhood in Lasbela and later moved to Karachi.

At the age of 25, he was appointed chief of the Mengal tribe.  

Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo, a founding leader of the National Awami Party (NAP) introduced Sardar Mengal in the politics.

He contested and won the West Pakistan Provincial Assembly elections in 1962, during which time his campaign was run by Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo.  

Sardar Mengal contested from the platform of National Awami Party in the first election of Balochistan Assembly in 1970 and won.

Sardar Ataullah Mengal was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Balochistan on May 1, when his government was dissolved  in 1973.

He also endured the hardships of incarceration and remained in prison from 1973 to 1977. 

In one of his interviews, Sardar Ataullah Mengal had said that leaders are not born, it is time and circumstances that make a leader.

“If you want to make a decision about a person or a leader, look at their situation and the time in which they are living, and also look at their problems. how is it dealing with? ,” he said “ 

At the same time, Attaullah Mengal also said that it would be unfair for you to give all the credit to one leader only and not give any credit to the other for any work.  

He has played an important role in Balochistan politics over the past decades. The four famous political figures of Balochistan were Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, Nawab Akbar Bugti and Ghous Bakhsh Bizanjo have passed away while the fourth friend, Sardar Attaullah Mengal passed away today.

Bilawal Bhutto condoled sad demise

PPP chairman in his condolence message said that the News of Sardar Ataullah Mengal’s demise is shocking.

The death of Sardar Ataullah Mengal marks the end of an era of prudence, tolerance and dignified politics in Pakistan, he said.

Bilawal Bhutto said, Sardar Ataullah Mengal’s long struggle for rights and democracy in Balochistan is an unforgettable chapter of our history.