The Balochistan National Party (BNP) conducted an urgent press conference in Quetta on Monday evening, cautioning of dire repercussions if the current government crackdown on its members and peaceful demonstrators continues.
The party’s leaders announced that they would persist with their long march and sit-in until all detained Baloch women were released.
This press conference followed the arrest of Gulzadi Baloch, a female member of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), which prompted strong condemnation from BNP chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal. Her apprehension, alongside several other BYC leaders, has already faced widespread criticism from human rights organizations.
BNP Senior Vice President Sajid Tareen Advocate stated that numerous party workers sustained severe injuries after the Frontier Corps opened fire on a peaceful protest in Wadh, organized by the BNP. Tareen emphasized that the demonstrators were conducting a peaceful protest yet were met with live ammunition.
Tareen also criticized federal ministers who have reached out to Sardar Akhtar Mengal for discussions, including National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, labeling them as “powerless” in light of what he described as military dominance over Balochistan. “You might as well refer to the establishment as the headmaster of this government,” he added.
As per TBP, BNP leaders indicated that hundreds of party supporters have been apprehended in Quetta over recent days, while many others have been forcibly disappeared. They demanded the immediate and safe release of these individuals and cautioned that any harm to Mengal or other party members in Wadh would be the responsibility of what they termed the “puppet regime.”
The party has scheduled a high-level meeting for Tuesday to consult with allies and supporters of the long march prior to declaring the next steps. “Our protests will persist until all the daughters of Balochistan are released,” asserted BNP leaders.
The press conference was attended by BNP Central Information Secretary Agha Hassan Baloch, Malik Naseer Shahwani, Moosa Baloch, Ghulam Nabi Marri, Samad Baloch, Jameela Baloch, Chairman Wahid Baloch, Guman Marri, Haji Waheed, Shakoor Baloch, and other prominent figures.
(with inputs from ANI)
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