Quetta [Balochistan] April 4 : The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) has scheduled a march in Quetta on April 6 to advocate for the release of Mahrang Baloch and other leaders from the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), as reported by The Balochistan Post (TBP).
BNP-M leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal announced this on Thursday, coinciding with the sixth day of a sit-in protest at Lakpass, according to TBP.
While addressing the protesters, Mengal stated that discussions with government representatives have not produced any results. "They are ignoring our concerns in this distant area," he remarked. "Now, the discussions will take place in Quetta," as quoted by TBP.
He called on all party members to arrive at Lakpass by April 5 to prepare for the march. Mengal cautioned that if officials tried to obstruct the march, party members should initiate sit-ins at any location where they are halted. "If the government denies us a way forward, we will create our own," he declared. "The government will bear the responsibility for the outcomes," as mentioned in the TBP report.
BNP officials claimed that the authorities are digging trenches along the Quetta-Karachi Highway and obstructing roads with containers to hinder the march. The long march, initiated from Wadh on March 28 under Mengal's direction, was organized to protest the detention of BYC leader Mahrang Baloch and other activists, as highlighted in the TBP report.
After facing numerous challenges, protesters managed to reach Mastung, where key routes into Quetta, such as Lakpass Tunnel and Kund Masuri, were cordoned off by the authorities. The protest has since evolved into a sit-in at Lakpass. In a post on X on Friday, Mengal reaffirmed the party's dedication to carrying on with the march, as noted by TBP.
"I urge all political parties, tribal leaders, youth, men, and women to stand with us," he stated. "We will march for justice, peace, and in honor of our mothers and sisters," as cited by TBP.
"No intimidation, no force, no oppression can deter us. If we are arrested, we will rise again. If we are martyred, the next generation will take our place," he stated. "On April 6, at 10:00 AM, we will continue our march toward Quetta," as reported by TBP.
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