Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the head of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), has said that the government is not serious about accepting the demands of the sit-in protest. For this reason, his party has called for an All Parties Conference on Monday.
Speaking to media representatives on Saturday, Sardar Akhtar Mengal said that their protest at Lakpass has been ongoing for the past 15 days. Our only demand was the release of the arrested women. Had that demand been accepted, we would have returned from here. Since the government does not want to resolve the matter, we have called an All Parties Conference. In that conference, along with the demands of the protestors, other serious issues of Balochistan will be discussed and solutions will be sought.
In response to a question, Akhtar Mengal said: The state is not interested in resolving Balochistan’s problems, but rather it has an issue with the very existence of the Baloch people. This is why the fifth military operation is currently underway in Balochistan.
He added that those who are now in the mountains were once peacefully protesting on the streets: When you refuse to listen to people, when you make them disappear instead of hearing them, and then throw their bodies away, what options are left for the people? Today three to four women have been arrested. Tomorrow, this number may increase. We cannot remain silent on this issue. Staying silent now would bring shame to us in front of future generations.
In response to another question, Akhtar Mengal denied making any demands to Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti through backdoor channels. He challenged the ministers of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) by saying: “If the PPP ministers are truthful, then they should publicly present any such demands.”
It is worth noting that under the leadership of the Balochistan National Party, a sit-in protest is currently in its 16th day in the Lakpass area, demanding the release of Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s female leaders and workers.
Despite the passage of time, the barriers erected by government authorities on the Quetta-Karachi Highway to stop the protestors have not yet been removed. However, small vehicles are now able to use the old road at Lakpass for movement.
Following criticism from PPP ministers and assembly members, ministers and lawmakers from PML-N part of the ruling coalition, also held a press conference along with the spokesperson for the Balochistan government, harshly criticizing the BNP. They claimed that the sit-in is causing inconvenience to the public.
In response, the BNP stated that it is not the protestors but the government that has closed the Lakpass Tunnel.
