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Akhtar Mengal, born on October 6, 1962, in Wadh, Balochistan, is a prominent Pakistani politician and the chairman of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal). His political career has been deeply influenced by his father, Ataullah Mengal, the first elected Chief Minister of Balochistan, known for his efforts to promote education in the province.
Mengal’s entry into politics was shaped by his father’s legacy and the personal tragedy of his older brother, Asad Mengal, who forcibly disappeared—a significant issue in Balochistan.
He previously served as the Chief Minister of Balochistan from 1997 to 1998 and later as a member of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly.
In 2006, following the assassination of Nawab Akbar Bugti, Mengal’s party resigned from the national and provincial assemblies. He was arrested during President Pervez Musharraf’s regime and was later released in 2008 after enduring harsh conditions.
Mengal returned to Pakistan on March 25, 2013, after ending a four-year self-exile in Dubai to participate in the 2013 general elections. His party won only two seats in the 51-member provincial assembly: one held by Mengal himself and the other by Hamal Kalmati, who represents Gwadar. Additionally, BNP candidates Esa Noori and Raouf Mengal won National Assembly seats from the Makran coastal region and Khuzdar, respectively. Akhtar Mengal took the oath as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan on August 13, 2018.
On September 3, 2024, Mengal submitted his resignation from the National Assembly of Pakistan, citing the deteriorating situation in Balochistan.
