In 1958, Ataullah Mengal along with chief of Marri tribe Khair Bakhsh Marri joined the National Awami Party (Wali) of Khan Wali Khan and developed a close friendship with Wali Khan over the next decade. Ghaus Bux Bizenjo and Gul Khan Nasir already were members of NAP.. In the 1970 general election, National Awami Party swept the provinces of Balochistan and North-West Frontier Province, thus forming governments in each of them.