The cat and mouse game being played by the provincial government of Balochistan with Sardar Akhtar Mengal of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) has been continuing. On April 11, the protest by BNP at Lakpat Pass continued for the 14th day with no resolution in sight. Sardar Mengal has announced that he will march to provincial capital Quetta, barely 25 km away from the protest site whenever he is allowed to do so. On the other hand, the government machinery is involved in stalling his march fearing mobilisation on a large scale leading to law and order problems.
Delivering a speech before his supporters, Sardar Mengal said, “Don’t just pray for my life — pray that I die with dignity.” Praising Baloch women for stepping out of their homes and joining protests against the Pakistani security forces, he said they were providing strength to the movement. The Baloch women were no pushovers, very educated and dignified, Sardar Mengal pointed out, adding it was not possible for the Pakistani security forces to deal with them, according to reports in The Balochistan Post.
He condemned Pakistan’s top political leadership, including President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He accused the parties of the two leaders, Pakistan People’s Pary (PPP) and PML-N, of playing with the lives of innocent Baloch and reaffirmed his commitment to the struggle for their rights.
The government has failed to arrest Mengal from the site of the sit-in protest at Lakpass though it has threatened to do so a number of times. Lashing out at his critics, Mengal said: “Some dogs are barking from the sidelines, but we are here for our land. Your Bhutto (referring to PPP founder Z A Bhutto) went to jail and died for power — we were imprisoned and martyred for our homeland. You were jailed for corruption and looting the national treasury, while we made sacrifices for principles.”
Targetting PPP, Mengal mocked at its slogan of “Roti, Kapra, Makaan” (bread, clothing, shelter). “Those who promised us roti gave us kafan (shrouds), graves, and bullets. They burned down our homes,” he said. Criticizing both PPP and the PML-N, Mengal said these parties failed to show solidarity with the protesters. “Every political party came to express sympathy — except PPP and PML-N. For them, power is more important than principles,” he added.
Mengal clarified that what BNP has been demanding is not power or privilege, but the dignified release of Baloch women allegedly detained without due process. “We are not going to Quetta for personal gains, but to secure the release of our unjustly imprisoned women,” he stated. This was a reference to the arrest of Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) leader Dr Mahrang Baloch and her supporters, among them many women.
He challenged PPP leaders Sadiq Umrani and Ali Madad Jattak — who were among the score of PPP Balochistan leaders who held a fiery press conference in Quetta a day before, criticising Akhtar Mengal of supporting militancy and playing backdoor politics — saying, “Once we leave, try bringing your leaders here and hold a sit-in like this. We’ve been sitting on this deserted ground for 14 days.” It bears mention here that Umrani and other PPP leaders of Balochistan had called Dr Mahrang Baloch a terrorist in their press conference on Thursday.
All through last 14 days, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti (of PPP) has avoided coming before media and it is only provincial spokesman Shahid Rind who has been interacting with the media and making statements. Some PPP leaders finally spoke on Thursday by making allegations of terrorism against Dr Mahrang and by their actions only added fuel to the fire. Dr Mahrang Baloch’s BYC is known for its peaceful protests and she has always spoken against highhandedness of the Pakistani forces.
She has been incarcerated for many days now in a jail where her father was once a detainee and was later liquidated by the Pakistani security forces. Her sister had moved a petition in the Balochistan High Court for her release but the court is yet to announce its judgement though arguments in the case have been completed.
Sardar Mengal also took a jab at President Zardari, claiming, “Zardari is hiding in a hospital, pretending to be sick after making political deals over Sindh, fearing public backlash.” He praised the courage and awareness of Baloch women, stating, “You can’t even stand up to our men — don’t even think about taking on our women. Baloch women are conscious and patriotic (towards Balochistan).”
