Sajid Tareen, acting president of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), has reported that contact has been lost with the husband and son of BNP Senator Naseema Ehsan, who are feared to have been abducted. This alarming situation follows accusations from Tareen that government officials were responsible for the abduction of Senator Qasim Ranjho, his son, and their driver.
In a related context, various lawyers’ organizations in Balochistan have voiced strong opposition to proposed constitutional amendments, alleging that the establishment is influencing these changes. They argue that such abductions of senators and their families would not occur if the claims were unfounded. Currently, parliamentary committee meetings are ongoing to finalize the 26th constitutional amendment, with the government consulting multiple political parties on the matter.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal, a prominent BNP leader, recently resigned from the National Assembly in protest, leaving the party with only two senators, including one woman. Tareen believes that the abductions are part of a strategy to coerce BNP senators into supporting the proposed amendments. He noted that Senator Ranjho, who suffers from kidney disease, was reportedly taken to Al-Shifa Hospital for dialysis when the abduction occurred.
Tareen further detailed that Senator Naseema Ehsan Shah’s son was taken from a checkpoint in the Kohsar area, while her husband, Syed Ehsan Shah, was abducted from the Parliament Lodges the following day. He accused the government of using such tactics to ensure compliance from party senators, emphasizing that not only senators but also other individuals are becoming unreachable, as their phone numbers are reportedly being deactivated, complicating communication efforts.
