Quetta: Government employees in Balochistan, under the banner of the Balochistan Grand Alliance, have announced that they will block major highways across the Balochistan on 12 and 13 January in support of their pending demands. The alliance has also warned of a complete shutdown of educational institutions and hospitals except OPDs from 15 January if their demands are not met.
In a statement, spokesperson of the Balochistan Grand Alliance, Ali Bakhsh Jamali, said that their peaceful, constitutional and democratic protest would continue. He added that those elected representatives who do not support their demands would not receive votes from government employees in the upcoming elections.
Jamali said that the alliance has been struggling for a long time for the legitimate rights of government employees across Balochistan, but “Form-47 rulers” are creating obstacles instead of resolving their issues. He said that the current government has launched a crackdown against the movement, arresting leaders, imprisoning workers and taking “unlawful and vindictive actions” against members of the alliance.
He claimed that protesting workers were being baton-charged and even women employees were facing retaliatory measures. Despite this, he said, the movement would continue until their demands are accepted.
According to the announced protest schedule, national highways will be blocked at Khuzdar, Naseerabad, Sibi, Gwadar, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Jaffarabad and other locations on 12 and 13 January. After that, from 15 January, academic activities in educational institutions and routine services in hospitals will be boycotted across the Balochistan, with only OPDs remaining open.
Jamali reiterated that the alliance seeks constitutional and democratic rights for employees and urged the government to address their grievances instead of resorting to pressure tactics.
