Quetta: Balochistan National Party (BNP) Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has announced a long march from Lak Pass to Quetta on April 6 (Sunday) to protest the arrests of Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other women leaders and activists of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
Addressing the protesters on Thursday evening, Mengal stated that the government was not listening to their demands in the wilderness, so they would now take their protest to Quetta.
Meanwhile, the government and administration continue to place more obstacles on roads leading to Quetta to prevent the protesters from reaching the city. These roadblocks are causing inconvenience to the general public, though officials claim the measures are for public safety.
Mengal had initially given the government a two-day ultimatum to release the detained women, after which he announced the march toward Quetta. He has directed BNP workers to gather at Lak Pass on April 5 and has urged them to stage sit-ins wherever they are stopped.
He warned, "If the government does not allow us passage, we will make our own way. If the long march is obstructed on April 6, the government will bear full responsibility for the consequences."
While the protesters are determined to reach Quetta, the government's stance remains firm in preventing them from entering the city.
Currently, the protesters are stationed at Lak Pass, around 25 to 30 kilometers southwest of Quetta, at the junction of the Quetta-Karachi and Quetta-Taftan highways.
On Friday, as the marchers left Khuzdar, authorities blocked the Lak Pass tunnel and set up additional roadblocks on alternate routes, including the old highway and paths via Dasht, Kanak, and Nohisar leading to Quetta.
When the protesters staged a sit-in at Lak Pass, authorities kept the tunnel closed but allowed limited movement on alternative routes. However, in the past two days, restrictions have intensified, with large trenches being dug using heavy machinery to further impede access to Quetta.
These measures have disrupted travel for ordinary citizens, causing significant inconvenience. However, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind defended the roadblocks, stating they were necessary for public security amid the ongoing protest.
In another development, the Balochistan government has replaced Mastung’s Deputy Commissioner Zohaib Kabzai with Captain (Retd) Raja Athar Abbas. While no official reason was given for the transfer, Chief Minister of Balochistan had previously stated that any deputy commissioner failing to ensure open highways would not remain in office.
On the other hand, the district administration has arrested Nawabzada Gohram Bugti under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) comes at a time of increasing political tensions in Balochistan, as multiple protest movements gain momentum. His detention is likely to further inflame sentiments among supporters and activists advocating for the release of detained women leaders and missing persons.
Meanwhile, Haq Do Tehreek leader and Member of the Balochistan Assembly, Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, has declared a long march from Gwadar to Quetta on April 7, calling for justice regarding enforced disappearances and the recent arrests of women.
Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman emphasized that the issue of missing persons remains one of the most pressing crises in Balochistan. He criticized the government’s approach, stating that instead of addressing the problem, authorities were now targeting those who peacefully campaign for justice. He condemned the arrests of women activists, calling them "intolerable" and a direct attack on the right to peaceful protest.
