Noshki killing brings govt, BYC face to face, again

GWADAR / QUETTA: The distrust between the government and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leadership has further deepened after fresh recriminations over the killing of a protester in Noshki.

Protests, roadblocks and sit-in continued to disrupt life across the province on Saturday as both BYC and the government accused each other of not honouring the agreement reached after negotiations to end the demonstrations.

The situation has again reached a tipping point as BYC accused security forces of killing one of its supporters, Hamden Baloch, and injuring two others in Noshki the other day.

The group claimed security forces opened fire on a peaceful procession near the Railway station, resulting in casualties.

Noshki Deputy Commissioner Amjad Hussian Soomro confirmed the death of one person but claimed that protesters had clashed with security forces, which resulted in the casualty.

Anticipating protests in response to the Noshki incident, the Quetta district administration again blocked roads leading towards the red zone with heavy deployment of security forces.

Similar disruptions have been witnessed across the province as BYC supporters staged a sit-in in Noshki and blocked the Quetta-Taftan national highway, suspending vehicular movement, which also affected the trade between Pakistan and Iran.

In Quetta, protesters held a sit-in in front of the Balochistan University and blocked the Quetta-Karachi highway in Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela and Hub.

Due to roadblocks, no buses or truck left for Karachi from Quetta.

The Gwadar-Surab-Panjgur Road, University Chowk and Hazar Ganji Eastern Bypass also remained closed due to the protests, causing severe difficulties for people.

Though strikes continued in Noshki, Chagai, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kharan, Panjgur and Kech on Saturday, businesses opened in the port city of Gwadar.

The area remained at the centre of the conflict for the past week, with business centres remaining shut in the presence of heavy security.

However, internet and cellular services have still not resumed in the area.

The prolonged sit-in and roadblock in Gwadar caused a shortage of food items and other essential goods.

The prices of these items also increased due to high demand.

Distrust between BYC, govt

Meanwhile, officials who held talks with BYC leaders, including Dr Mahrang Baloch, in Gwadar claimed that the group had agreed to end sit-ins.

They added that over 80 BYC supporters who were arrested during the protests were released soon after the agreement was reached, while the others nominated in FIRs will be freed by August 5 after completing judicial proceedings.

Ms Baloch has disputed the official version, claiming that BYC workers and supporters who were arrested for participating in Baloch Raji Muchi (Baloch national gathering) in Gwadar have not been released.

As the local administration of Gwadar claimed that it was implementing the agreement, BYC leaders said the sit-in would continue in Gwadar until over 500 of their supporters were released.

Fresh talks

Officials have started a fresh round of talks with the protesters in Gwadar as Deputy Commissioner Amjad Hussain Soomro and Assistant Commissioner Abdul Samad Lehri arrived at the site of the sit-in for negotiations.

The Balochistan Assembly member from Noshki and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam leader Mir Ghulam Dastgeer Badini and Manzoor Ahmed Mengal also took part in the negotiations.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2024