Mengal

Mengal (Urdu: مینگل) is a Brahui / Baloch tribe in Balochistan, Pakistan

Demographics

The Mengal tribe is one of the largest Baloch tribe. Mengal people speak Brahui, a Dravidian language that has been heavily influenced by other Iranian languages spoken in the area, especially Balochi.^[1][2] The Mengal are now closely linked to the Baloch people, with whom they have substantially intermingled and whose cultural traits they have absorbed. The tribe can be divided in two major branches: Zagar Mengal and Shahizai Mengal.

Tribal area

The Mengal tribal area is around 70,000 square miles (180,000 km²), stretching from the Helmand River in the North to Lasbela District in the south, and bordering on the province of Sindh to the east.^[3]

Politics

For many years the Mengal tribe has been seeking greater autonomy from the Pakistan government.^[4][5][6] The Pakistani government and the Mengals have been clashing for the past four decades, for various reasons.^[7][8] Large-scale military operations were carried out in the area of Khuzdar in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1973, the Pakistani government headed by the former Prime Minister Late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, with support of the Shah of Iran, carried out one of the bloodiest military operations in the history of Balochistan against the Mengal and Marri tribes which lasted for 5 years, during which around 35,000 Baloch fighters and 6000 army soldiers were killed.

Prominent People

• Ataullah Mengal is a former Chief Minister of Balochistan.^[9]
• Akhtar Mengal is a former Chief Minister of Balochistan.^[10]
• Mir Gul Khan Naseer was a renowned poet, historian and politician and the First Education Minister Of Balochistan.^{[citation needed]}
• Amir-ul-Mulk Mengal was Governor and Chief Justice of Balochistan.^[11]
• Mir Muhammad Naseer Mengal served as acting Chief Minister of Balochistan^[12] and as Pakistan's acting Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources.^[13]
• Mir Nooruddin Mengal was a prominent politician of Balochistan. He was assassinated on 13th October 2010^[14][15].
• Mir Lawang Khan Mengal was a famous politician and tribal leader^[16].

References

1. ^ J. H. Elfenbein, "A periplous of the 'Brahui problem'", Studia Iranica 16 (1987), 215-233, quoted after `The Languages of Harappa' by Michael Witzel Feb. 2000, p. 1
2. ^ Partial bibliography of scholarly works on Brahui
3. ^ Balochistan Administrative Districts database Planning and Development Department (P&DD) of the Government of Balochistan. Retrieved 25 November 2008
4. ^ Balochistan tribes threaten Pakistan's gas riches Asia Times, Jul 25, 2002 Retrieved 25 November 2008
5. ^ Explosive mix in Pakistan's gas province BBC News 4 February, 2005. Retrieved 25 November 2008
6. ^ A quick death The Economist Aug 31st 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2008
7. ^ A Call to Resistance: The Khan of Kalat Gathers the Tribes Brooklynrail.org Retrieved 25 November 2008
8. ^ Balochistan Militancy - An Insider's View Rafi Bhatti January 17, 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2008
9. ^ Nothing but provincial autonomy, The DAWN Group of Newspapers, http://dawn.com/weekly/dmag/archive/060212/dmag1.htm, retrieved 2009-03-25 
10. ^ Taking on the State: Frontline March 09, 2007, Hindunet, http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2404/stories/20070309000906400.htm, retrieved 2008-11-25 
11. ^ Press briefing by the UN offices for Pakistan and Afghanistan, UN News Center, http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusnews.asp?NewsID=66&sID=4, retrieved 2009-03-25 
12. ^ Senators: Mir Muhammad Naseer Mengal, Pakistan Senate, http://www.senate.gov.pk/ShowMemberDetail.asp?MemberCode=442&CatCode=0&CatName=, retrieved 2009-03-26 
13. ^ http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\11\11\story_11-11-2007_pg5_6
14. ^ http://news.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/bnpm-leader-shot-dead-in-kalat-400
15. ^ http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.page=2010\07\16\story_16-7-2010_pg1_4
16. ^ Mir Lawang Khan, National Balochmedia Network, http://www.balochmedia.org/content-95.html, retrieved 2010-04-09