A significant police presence has encircled a residence near Burma Hotel, where a meeting of leaders from the Balochistan National Party (BNP) was underway. Among those present at the gathering were former Governor Abdul Wali Kakar, ex-members of the provincial assembly Malik Naseer Shahwani, Ahmad Nawaz, Musa Jan Baloch, Ghulam Nabi Mari, Advocate Tahir Shahwani, and other BNP leaders.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who is personally leading the BNP’s long march, has vowed to reach Quetta on Sunday, April 6, to protest against alleged enforced disappearances in Balochistan and the arrest of leaders from the Baloch Unity Committee (BYC), including Dr. Mah Rang Baloch.
The area near Lakkpas, where the BNP is staging a sit-in, has seen the deployment of heavy security forces. Authorities have issued a clear warning to not advance further. The police have given an ultimatum to Akhtar Mengal, stating that any attempt to march towards Quetta will result in his arrest.
The spokesperson for the Balochistan government has confirmed that Akhtar Mengal was informed at 6 AM this morning about the potential legal consequences of his actions, under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance. Despite this, Mengal has refused to surrender. Authorities have stated that blocking national highways would cause unnecessary hardship to the public, and strict instructions have been given to all district administrations to prevent such actions.
Previously, the Balochistan provincial government had urged the BNP to limit their protests to Shaowani Stadium in Quetta. The government warned that any attempt to march in the red zone of the provincial capital would lead to strict legal action for violating the law.
In response, BNP leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal declared that protests would continue, including sit-ins in districts across Balochistan. He claimed that the provincial government and the state have plotted to suppress the party, but they would not be deterred. “We will sit down at the point where we are stopped,” he said.
Furthermore, BNP leader and former provincial assembly member Sana Baloch stated that the protesters have been surrounded from all sides, with trenches dug across the roads and large vehicles blocking access, making it difficult for peaceful protests to proceed. He criticized the government for denying the people and politicians of Balochistan their right to peaceful protest.
