The Balochistan government on Sunday warned Sardar Akhtar Mengal, chief of his faction of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), that he would be arrested if his party’s march against the jailing of Baloch activists entered Quetta.
The BNP-M had announced a “long march” from Wadh to Quetta last Friday to protest against the arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders and activists, including Dr Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch, as well as a crackdown on their sit-in in Quetta. Sammi was released on Tuesday.
As the BNP-M’s sit-in at the Lakpass area of Mastung entered its 10th day today,
As the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) sit-in entered its 10th day on Sunday and protesters were set to march on Quetta, party chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal said a “major operation against [protesters] is imminent” as security forces encircled the marchers.
The BNP-M deadline for the acceptance of its demands, including the release of Mahrang, ended on Saturday midnight. According to its announcement, the BNP-M will start on Sunday (today) its long march towards Quetta from the Lakpass area of Mastung, where the party has been staging its sit-in for the last 10 days.
According to Mengal, the previous two rounds of negotiations were not successful as the government delegations did not enjoy any authority to make decisions on the demands tabled by the BNP during the talks.
A day earlier, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind offered the BNP-M to march till Quetta’s Shahwani Stadium on Sariab Road and warned the party of action if the city’s Red Zone is breached.
In a post on X today at 5:06am, Mengal said: “We are currently stationed at Lakpass, completely encircled by security forces. A major operation against us is imminent.
“I call upon all districts to immediately shut down all national highways in protest. Let the world witness this injustice. We remain peaceful, but resolute.
“Whatever unfolds today — the consequences, the blood, the fallout — will rest solely on the shoulders of the government and the local administration.”
A post on X by BNP shortly after confirmed that security forces had surrounded Mengal and the people at the sit-in and said it was “deeply concerned” about the situation at Lakpass.
“This is open aggression that will not be tolerated under any circumstances. BNP announces that all national highways should be closed immediately in protest.”
The provincial government has blocked roads by placing containers around the protest site at Lakpass. It has also suspended internet services in Quetta, Mastung, Kalat and Khuzdar.
‘Red Zone off-limits’
The Balochistan government on Saturday decided not to allow the long marchers to enter the Red Zone and instead offered the BNP leadership to stage their sit-in at Shahwani Stadium, Rind said at a press conference.
He denied any government official’s meeting with Mahrang in the district jail on Friday night.
He said that the BNP leadership had been offered an alternative venue in Sariab during negotiations but they did not accept the government’s offer and insisted that they would stage their sit-in in the Red Zone despite Section 144.
He, however, said that in case of any violation of law, the marchers will be strictly dealt with. “Legal proceeding has already initiated against Dr Sabiha Baloch, a BYC activist, for making anti-state speech in a protest,” Rind said, adding that a formal response will also be issued over Mengal’s recent address, which was also deemed hostile to the state.
“Sardar Akhtar Mengal is adamant about staging a sit-in within the Red Zone,” Rind said, adding that the government was exercising restraint despite security concerns that escalated after the recent attack on the Jaffar Express. “The government had already issued alerts regarding potential threats in the city,” he added.
Mr Rind, while referring to the talks with the BNP, said that two rounds of negotiations had been held with the BNP leaders, with inputs from BNP-Awami, the National Party, and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, but all in vain.
He outlined Mengal’s three main demands, which included the release of Dr Mahrang — a matter under judicial purview, not the government’s. The second demand was to allow the sit-in in the Red Zone, which cannot be accepted due to the imposition of Section 144. “The provincial government stands by its offer to let the protesters gather at Shahwani Stadium, but the BNP insists on marching to the Red Zone,” he said.
Responding to a question about the legitimate status of BYC, the government spokesman said that only Dr Mahrang herself could clarify that.
“The public is well aware that after the Jaffar Express incident, the BYC organised protests and sit-ins. Just yesterday, their leadership made another anti-state speech at a rally held under the banner of a registered political party. This entire episode is under legal review and appropriate action will be taken.”
He further asserted that Mengal will not be allowed entry in the Red Zone, the Balochistan Assembly, or the Balochistan High Court premises.
Meanwhile, BNP responded strongly to the government’s position. In an official statement, the party declared that if the rule of law truly existed in the country, the situation would not have deteriorated to this extent.
“Here, laws are crafted to suit the whims and interests of the ruling elite. Such bluster is not new — dictators like Musharraf also made similar threats, which were ignored then and will be ignored now,” the statement said.
“These salaried spokespeople simply recite scripted lines for the media. No one takes them seriously.”
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