BNP-M claims over 250 arrested near Mastung as plea for Quetta gathering rejected

The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) on Saturday claimed that over 250 of its activists were detained as its march to Quetta against arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders was met with police action near Mastung.

Meanwhile, the Quetta deputy commissioner has rejected the party’s application seeking permission for the march and warned of action against the organisers if the gathering went ahead.

BNP-M President Sardar Akhtar Mengal had announced a “long march” from Wadh to Quetta to protest the arrests of BYC chief organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch, other leaders and workers as well as police crackdowns on a sit-in.

Marchers and motorists from different political parties had started their journey to Quetta from Mengal’s native town of Wadh at around 9am on Friday. Late last night, BNP leaders alleged that the local administration was placing containers at Luck Pass near Mastung to stop the marchers’ journey towards Quetta.

In a post on X earlier today, the BNP-M claimed: “So far, more than 250 political workers of the BNP have been arrested, and dozens have sustained injuries due to the actions of the security forces.”

The party alleged that law enforcement personnel had employed “intense tear gas shelling” against the participants near Luck Pass, adding that its march paused there due to road blockages by containers.

The BNP-M’s central leadership would announce its future course of action at 12pm today, the statement said.

Dawn.com has reached out to the police for comment.

An earlier post by the party claimed that “security forces opened fire on the participants of the long march and arrested over 250 leaders and workers” of the BNP-M.

“My [party’s] senior leadership is being directly shelled at and fired upon,” Mengal alleged in the early hours of Saturday.

Stating that his convoy’s route was blocked by containers at Luck Pass, Mengal appealed to the people of Mastung and Quetta to gather on their respective sides of the crossing.

“We will move ahead towards our goal, even if we have to dig a new tunnel,” the senior politician vowed.

“We are strong and committed to our cause, and above all, we are peaceful. Any force or coercion cannot shake our courage or turn us away from our path.”

A video shared by the party at 1:35am showed supporters — gathered around a car with rose petals showered on it — chanting “Jiye jiye Baloch” [long live Baloch].

Mengal also shared a purported video of containers lining up a road. “If you had worked this hard to run the country and the province, we would not have to protest on the streets,” he quipped.

BNP-M warned of legal action if march goes ahead

On the other hand, the Quetta administration rejected the BNP-M’s application filed on Thursday “regarding approval of long march and proviso of security coming from Wadh”, citing a ban on gatherings.

In a letter to BNP-M on Friday, the Quetta DC recalled that the Balochistan home department had imposed a province-wide ban on the “blockade of national/main highways, roads, red zones including processions, rallies and gathering of 5 or more than five persons/ sit-ins” for three months on February 28.

The letter added that the Intelligence and Coordination Committee on Friday “unanimously decided that the rallies/long march may not be entered into the jurisdiction of Quetta District under current law and order situation security threat issued by law enforcement agencies (LEAs)”.

“Your application is hereby regretted on grounds mentioned in para-2/N and you are not allowed to enter into Quetta District,” the letter stated.

It warned: “In case of violation, the organisers will be held fully responsible for any untoward incidents or disruptions that may occur. Furthermore, action will be taken against the organisers under the relevant provisions of the law.”