QUETTA, Dec 23: Protest meetings were held in Quetta and other areas of the province on Friday against military action in Kohlu, the reported siege of Dera Bugti and the government’s plan to build the Kalabagh dam. The protesters vowed to continue their struggle for the rights of oppressed nationalities.

A meeting held here adopted a number of resolutions, condemning the bombardment of Kohlu, siege of Dera Bugti, construction of the Kalabagh dam and greater Thar canal, merger of levies force into police, arrests of political activists and occupation of tribal land in the suburbs of the provincial capital by the army and air force.

Leaders of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), Jamhoori Watan Party, Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Awami National Party, National Party, Baloch Haq Tawar, Hazara Democratic Party, Tehrik-i-Insaf and Baloch Students’ Organization (Alliance) addressed the meeting and said that people of smaller provinces would not surrender their rights.

They warned that the military action in Baloch areas and construction of the controversial dam would harm the federation.

They said that if the rulers sincerely wanted to protect the unity of the nation, they would have to give up unilateral decisions on vital political issues.

The speakers urged traders, transporters and the general public to observe a wheel-jam strike in the province on Tuesday in protest against the military operation in Kohlu and the Kalabagh dam project.

Protest meetings were also held in Sibi, Dera Bugti, Nushki, Kalat, Khuzdar, Hub and Makran.