QUETTA: Protesters continued to block the Quetta-Sukkur highway on the second consecutive day on Thursday against what they called the provincial government’s failure to arrest the people nominated in an FIR registered in connection with the killing of three Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers in Kachhi about four months ago.

The protesters have blocked the highway near Dhadar and Kachhi towns by putting barricades on it.

Negotiations between the local administration’s representatives and the protesters remained deadlocked on Thursday as the latter said they would continue their protest till the people nominated in the FIR were arrested.

Three PTI workers were killed and two others injured in Kachhi district four months ago reportedly over a land dispute. The victims’ families nominated some people in the FIR, but the local administration has so far not arrested them.

Relatives of the victims and a large number of residents of the area have set up their camps on the highway near Dhadar and Kachhi towns. Carrying placards and banners inscribed with their demands, the protesters chanted slogans against the government and the local administration.

A large number of vehicles — including buses, trucks and cars — were stranded on the highway because of the protest.

Police and Levies Force personnel tried to disperse the protesters but their efforts failed after the protesters refused to move from the highway.

“Our sit-in will continue till the arrest of the accused nominated in the FIR,” Sardarzada Mir Bebarg Rind, who was leading the protest, said.

Meanwhile, PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Balochistan Assembly Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind announced on Thursday that he would stage a sit-in along with protesters outside the assembly’s building on Friday morning. He said the protesters who have blocked the Quetta-Sukkur highway would also join him in Quetta.

He accused the Balochis­tan government of trying to protect the alleged killers of PTI workers in Kachhi.

Adviser to the Chief Minister on Home Affairs Mir Ziaullah Langove held a meeting with Mr Rind at his residence and discussed the ongoing protest sit-in on the Quetta-Sukkur highway.

Sources said that Mr Langove requested Mr Rind to ask the protesters to end their protest.

The sources said that traffic might be restored on Friday (today) as the protesters on the highway would join Mr Rind for the protest in Quetta.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2022