Baluchistan government spokesman Shahid Rind, offered the National Party of Baluchistan-Mengal (BNP-M) on Saturday to march until the Shahwani stadium of Quetta in Sariab Road and warned the action party if the red zone of the city is violated.
The BNP-M had announced a “long march” of Wadh to Quetta last Friday to protest against the arrests of the leaders and activists of the Balochjehti (Byc) committee, including Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch, as well as the police shaking in his sitting in Quetta. Sammi was released on Tuesday.
The BNP-M sitting has entered its ninth day today. On Thursday in Mastung, the head of the party, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, announced three demands during his protest against the recent arrests of rights activists. Mengal declared the three demands: “Whether it releases all the prisoners of the Byc, including women, or then we are going to go to Quetta, where we can celebrate a peaceful sitting there. Or then arrest ourselves.
Rind, while heading to a press conference in Quetta, said: “The provincial government maintained a dialogue and proposed that BNP-M will be allowed until the Shawani stadium [on] Sariab Road, but did not agree and wanted to celebrate the demonstration in the red zone. However, the government will not accept that. “
He added that the peaceful protest is a right, but the details of where and for how long the protest will be carried out for the district administration to determine.
“They have announced to take the march to Quetta, and they must know that section 144 has already been declared, and if it will be violated, the law will take its course,” Rind continued.
While answering a question about how the government would enforce its decision, he replied: “No permission will be given to be hostage from the red zone and government officials.”
He also said that the platform of a registered political party was used for antiestatal speeches in reference to BNP-M, and added that appropriate legal actions have been initiated.
“On the comments made against the Baluchistan government by [Akhtar] Yesterday of Mengal, the Government reserves the right and the ability to respond, but the Prime Minister of Baluchistan, Sarfraz Bugti, had directed from the first day that such comments that derail this political process should not be made and, therefore, this is not the time to respond, “said Baluchistan government spokesman.
On the issue of negotiations with the BNP-M, he added that there have been two rounds of negotiations with the party, and apart from them, the CM of Baluchistan has spoken with Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch, Jamiat Ulema-Islam-Fazl and the Baluchistan Awami party and developed a political consensus.
“[Akhtar] Mengal said that the negotiation committee had no authority, so they were given authority and they [BNP] He had three demands that were the liberation of Mahrang and the leadership of Byc and our position was clear that if the courts provide relief, the government would not oppose, ”said Rind.
On Thursday, Mengal said the Government delegation had asked for more time to consult after the second round of conversations. “The dead point persists despite looking for two more days for consultation, which ends tonight.”
He added: “If all prisoners, including women, are not released, we will march towards Quetta.”
BNP-M central leader and former Senaullah Baloch senator had said Dawn.com that all national roads were closed due to government incompetence.
“The BNP has maintained its sitting on one side of the Mastung National Highway. However, the Government has closed all the major and minor roads that lead to Quetta, including the Lakpass tunnel, Mastung and Kolpur.
The terrestrial connection of Quetta with 12 other districts in Baluchistan has been cut during the last nine days due to the closure of the roads, including the Quetta-Karachi National Highway, since the administration has dug ditches in Lakpass and the surrounding roads.
