QUETTA: The Baloch­is­tan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) announced on Saturday that it would observe weeklong mourning for its central leader Malik Naveed Dahwar who, along with his security guard, was gunned down on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, acting president of BNP-M Malik Wali Moham­mad Kakar termed Mr Dah­war’s murder a case of targeted killing and said that under a well-planned conspiracy the BNP leader was removed from the political scene.

He said the central committee of the party would decide its future line of action on July 17. He said the heirs of Khan Shaheed and Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo sitting in the government had failed to protect the lives of the people of Balochistan.

Establishment wants to bring people of its choice to parliament, says party leader

Mr Kakar said the government and some of its institutions were forcing the Balochistan National Party-Mengal to leave parliamentary politics and democratic struggle as the 2018 elections were approaching.

“The establishment wants to bring people of its choice to parliament and the provincial assembly from Balochistan,” he alleged.

But the BNP-M would not leave the field and continue its struggle for the rights of the people of Balochistan, he said.

“We appeal to the authorities concerned not to create hurdles in the democratic struggle of BNP-M which represents the people of Baloch­istan,” Mr Kakar said and warned that such efforts would be dangerous and pave the way for undemocratic forces.

He announced that the BNP-M would launch a protest campaign against the killing of Mr Dahwar across the province from July 10 to July 18.

During the campaign, rallies and demonstrations would be staged in all big and small towns and cities of the province, he added.

BNP-M leaders Mir Abdul Rauf Mengal, Agha Hasan Baloch Advocate and Javed Baloch were present at the press conference.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2017