QUETTA: The distribution of local and national newspapers in Balochistan resumed on Saturday as the banned Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) announced its decision to end its boycott of media.

All press clubs in the province opened after remaining closed for nearly three months.

BLF’s spokesman Gohram Baloch said his organisation had decided to boycott the media on Oct 24 due to their attitude towards the province. He said that the aim of the boycott was to bring media out of official pressure. “We have achieved our goal and decided to end the boycott,” he added.

The press clubs had been closed and distribution of newspapers discontinued in the coastal belt including Gwadar, along with the areas in southern and central Balochistan, after the boycott had been announced on Oct 24. Newspapers could not get distributed even in Quetta for three days. However, later the government provided security to the newspaper offices and their supplies started in Quetta and northern parts of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2018