QUETTA: The provincial administration of Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan on Saturday warned of strict action after a Baloch nationalist party announced to march to Quetta to pressure authorities for the release of activists from an ethnic rights group.
The Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) led by Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Friday announced the march toward the provincial capital after holding two inconclusive rounds of talks with officials, demanding the release of detained ethnic rights activists.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s (BYC) top leader, Dr. Mahrang Baloch, and several of her colleagues were arrested on March 22 after staging a sit-in outside the University of Balochistan.
Pakistani authorities charged them with terrorism, sedition and murder following a protest in which three demonstrators were killed, according to police documents.
Mengal decided to launch a protest after objecting to the government’s treatment of female BYC leaders, calling for their immediate release and condemning what he described as the suppression of their democratic rights.
“The provincial government is ready to allow Mengal and his party to protest at Sariab Road [in Quetta], but he is adamant on entering the Red Zone,” Shahid Rind, the Balochistan administration’s spokesperson, said at a news conference, referring to a high-security area housing key government buildings.
“The Government of Balochistan will not allow anyone to violate Section 144, and action will be taken against the protesters,” he added, citing the legal provision that empowers authorities to ban public gatherings of more than four people to maintain law and order.
Rind said Mengal had demanded the release of BYC activists at the very start of the negotiations.
“If the courts provide relief to Mahrang Baloch and other activists, the government will accept the decision,” he continued while explaining the authorities’ position over the issue during the talks.
“We still stand by the offers made to Sardar Mengal,” he added. “But now the ball is in his court.”
During the media interaction, Rind said anti-state speeches had been made during Mengal’s protest, and the government would take legal action against those responsible.
His comments came a day after Pakistan’s top army generals met to review the national security situation and pledged not to let “foreign-backed proxies” and their “political supporters” destabilize Balochistan.
Authorities have long claimed a nexus between Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants and BYC activists, an allegation the latter deny.
The crackdown on BYC leaders followed a deadly train attack last month in Balochistan, in which BLA separatists took hundreds of passengers hostage. The standoff lasted nearly 36 hours until the army launched a rescue operation, killing 33 militants.
A final count showed 26 passengers had also died in the incident.
Authorities later accused BYC activists of storming a mortuary in Quetta and seizing the bodies of three militants.
Asked about reports of government negotiations with BYC chief Dr. Mahrang Baloch in prison, Rind said the provincial administration was not engaged in any such dialogue.
Authorities warn of action as nationalist party announces Quetta march for Baloch activists’ release
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Authorities warn of action as nationalist party announces Quetta march for Baloch activists’ release
- The development follows Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s announcement of the protest march for the release of BYC leaders
- The provincial government says it will take legal action against people delivering anti-state speeches at BNP protest
Pakistan says operation against Afghan forces to continue until objectives are achieved
- Fighting started this week after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani military installations in retaliation for earlier strikes
- Afghan government spokesperson says air defense attacks were carried out Pakistan aircraft in Kabul on Sunday morning
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan military’s operation against Afghanistan forces along the border is still underway and will continue until all objectives are achieved, state media reported on Sunday citing security sources.
The latest round of clashes between the two sides began on Thursday night after Afghanistan’s forces attacked Pakistani military installations along their shared border.
The worst fighting between the neighbors in several years began after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan earlier this month, triggering retaliatory fire along the frontier and sharply escalating long-running tensions. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation that Afghanistan denies.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began.
“The security sources said Operation Ghazb Lil-Haq is still underway and will continue until objectives are achieved,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
The state media said Pakistan’s army has taken control of an Afghan Taliban military post at the border in northwestern Pakistan.
It shared a video of what it said were Pakistani soldiers crossing into Afghanistan from the northwestern North Waziristan area to capture the Afghan post on the other side of the border.
Arab News could not independently verify the claims.
Earlier during the day, gunshots and explosions were reported in Kabul. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the sounds were the result of Afghan forces targeting Pakistani aircraft over the capital.
“Air defense attacks were carried out in Kabul against Pakistani aircraft,” Mujahid wrote on X. “Kabul residents should not be concerned.”
Since the conflict began this week, diplomatic efforts have intensified with several countries, including global bodies such as the European Union and United Nations, urging restraint and calling for talks.
