QUETTA:
A day after warning the BNP of Sardar Akhtar Mengal against the entrance of the red zone of the provincial capital as part of its ongoing protest, the provincial government announced Sunday that it would arrested the BNP head if trying to enter Quetta.
Mengal, leading the long march of the BNP, had promised to get to Quetta on April 6 (Sunday) to protest against the alleged forced disappearances of political workers in Baluchistan and the arrest of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (Byc), including Dr. Mahrang Baloch.
According to the provincial government, two rounds of conversations were held with the BNP leadership, during which they were asked to maintain their protest at the Shahwani stadium in Quetta. However, the game had refused and insisted on marching to the red zone of the city.
When addressing a press conference before the protest scheduled on Saturday, Baluchistan government spokesman Shahid Rind said that strict legal measures will be taken against any violation of the law.
“The Government shows restriction, but any attempt to violate section 144 or provoke disturbances will be fulfilled with a firm response,” said Rind.
Meanwhile, the Administration placed containers on the entrance routes and parked a large number of security forces to personnel to effectively avoid that the leaders and workers of BNP enter the city.
On Sunday, Rind went to the social media platform X, warning that BNP chief Akhtar Mengal would be arrested if he tried to enter Quetta.
“The Administration reported Mengal at 6:00 am on the orders issued under the maintenance of public order (MPO), but refused to surrender. If you enter Quetta, they will be arrested,” Rind wrote, and added that the personnel of the application of the law had been deployed to enforce the order.
The government also criticized the call of the party to block national roads, describing it as an attempt to interrupt everyday life and increase public suffering. Shahid Rind said that clear instructions had been issued to all district administrations that no road would be closed.
Meanwhile, Baluchistan residents expressed concern about possible travel interruptions. In a separate publication, the BNP shared a video claiming that the law enforcement agencies had fired shells to a meeting of party workers in Quetta’s Khan Chowk.
The white smoke was raising in the distance in the shared online footage.
Previously, Mengal had also published in X, stating that he and his followers were surrounded by security forces in Lak Pass and that an important operation seemed imminent.
In response, the BNP announced protests throughout the province, claiming that the current government had launched an offensive against its leaders and workers.
