March 6, 2026
By Aitzaz Ibrahim
LAHORE
Tribal and political figure from Balochistan, Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal, who has long remained a controversial name in the province’s security and political landscape, has joined the Pakistan Peoples Party aftera meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad on March 4.
Mengal was also awarded the party ticket for the NA-256 Khuzdar by-election. The seat fell vacant following the resignation of Akhtar Mengal, head of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal). Polling for the by-election is scheduled to take place on April 5.
According to reports, Mengal met President Zardari to discuss the political situation in Balochistan and subsequently announced his decision to join the PPP. Party leaders welcomed him into the party and expressed hope that his inclusion would strengthen the party’s presence in the province.
Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal is the son of Naseer Mengal, a former federal minister and the caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan. The Mengal family has historically held political influence in parts of central Balochistan, particularly in the district of Khuzdar.
However, Mengal has remained a controversial figure for more than a decade due to allegations linking him to armed groups operating in the province during the height of the insurgency. In 2008, he formed a militia known as the Baloch Musallah Difaee Tanzeem (MDT), which he said was established to defend local communities against attacks by separatist militants.
Human rights groups and activists have accused the group of involvement in abductions and violence against suspected separatists and political opponents. Mengal has repeatedly denied these allegations.
In 2014, mass graves were discovered in the Tootak area, about 55 kilometres north of Khuzdar, drawing national and international attention to the region. According to reports, 169 bodies were recovered from the site. The graves were widely attributed by activists and reports to the Baloch Musallah Difaee Tanzeem (MDT), a militia associated with Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal, allegations he has denied.
Over the years, Mengal has been described in various reports as a tribal leader with armed followers in parts of Khuzdar and surrounding areas. His role has frequently been discussed in the context of Balochistan’s complex security situation, which involves separatist groups, tribal militias and state security forces.
Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal’s name appeared in the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report formed after the Safora Goth bus attack in Karachi. The attack, which took place in May 2015, targeted a bus carrying members of the Ismaili community, leaving 45 people dead and several others injured. According to the JIT report, one of the facilitators involved in the attack given shelter at Mengal’s residence, an allegation that brought his name into the investigation.
Voicepk attempted to contact Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal by phone to seek his version. He initially said he was in a meeting and asked to call back later, but did not respond to subsequent calls.
Head of BNP-M, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, also criticised the move. In a post on the social media platform X, he reacted to the inclusion of Shafiq-ur-Rehman Mengal in the PPP. Referring to the party’s well-known slogan “democracy is the best revenge,” Mengal wrote that the “new translation” appeared to “take revenge by recruiting every top death squad you can find,” adding sarcastically that it was “truly inspirational politics.”
Meanwhile, Quetta-based senior journalist Shahzada Zulfiqar, a former president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), while speaking to Voicpk, criticised PPP’s decision to welcome Mengal.
“It is surprising that individuals facing allegations of involvement in killings are being allowed to join the party,” he said. “There are documented reports alleging that Mengal has provided shelter to militants linked to groups such as the Islamic State and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), adding that the decision had raised serious questions about the party leadership.