Muhammad Ramzan Mengal, an anti-Shia extremist figure and leader of sectarian outfit Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat (ASWJ), is contesting for a National Assembly seat from Quetta in the upcoming general elections.
Mengal has filed his nomination papers for the National Assembly constituency NA-263, Quetta- II from the platform of Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party, which is an alternate name for the ASWJ. The ASWJ changed its name after it was banned along with other militant organizations, registering with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with the new name.
Since 2013, a significant number of Shia Muslims, predominantly from the Hazara ethnic group, have lost their lives in Balochistan province due to deliberate attacks involving shootings and bombings. Mengal was arrested many times in the past few years during investigations into these attacks.
He has often been seen leading rallies inciting hatred and violence against the Shia community, which his group considers “infidel.” Militant organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi of which Mengal has been a part, aims to eradicate Shias from Pakistan.
