BNP-M ‘defector’ Qasim Ronjho changes his story, twice

ISLAMABAD: Tuesday was an eventful day for BNP-Mengal Senator Qasim Ronjho — one of two lawmakers who voted against their party line in favour of the 26th constitutional amendment in the Senate — as he changed his story at least twice within 24 hours.
Early in the day, he had reportedly resigned his membership of the upper house after being instructed to do so by party chief Akhtar Mengal.
Then, during Senate proceedings, he tried to get a chance to speak on the floor, but this attempt was scuttled by the timely exit of members from the treasury benches.

Following the sitting, he appeared for a press conference alongside Mr Mengal and others, where he claimed he was detained by “some powerful people” and “rem­a­ined their guest” for six days. Ronjho said he was a kidney patient and during his detention, he was taken for dialysis twice. He also said he had contracted mal­aria during his days in custody.
However, in contrast to the frail frame he presented on Sunday night, being wheeled into the house on a wheel chair, Mr Ronjho seemed quite fit in his interactions on Tuesday.
During the presser, the BNP-M chief said that Mr Ronjho wanted to narrate his ordeal during the Senate session and an­­nounce his resignation, but was not allowed to speak.
But in a video message released hours later, he changed his story once again, claiming that he had been forced to speak at the news conference by his party.
“All the words I uttered were fabricated and based on lies,” he said, adding that he was forced to read out a written statement.
In the video, Senator Ronjho denied his abduction by anyone, saying he was present at his house for the last two weeks.
Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2024