GWADAR: Jan Mohammad Dashti — a poet, bureaucrat and author from Balochistan — has resigned from the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and announced the new party Balochistan National Alliance (BNA), which will contest the coming elections on all national and provincial assembly seats from the Makran region and other areas.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday in Turbat along with other leaders who have also quit the BNP-M, he talked about the importance of peaceful dialogue with Pakistani authorities to add­ress the Baloch people’s political, economic and cultural concerns.

“The primary objective of the Balochistan National Alliance is to stop the cycle of violence and bloodshed in Balochistan, granting its citizens the fundamental human rights to lead dignified and peaceful lives,” he said.

One of the central tenets of the Balochistan National Alliance, Mr Dashti said, was recognising Baloch’s authority over their resources and coastal regions.

“The alliance demands that the people have a just and equitable say in electing their representatives,” he said. “It also advocates for the safe and honourable repatriation of those who had to leave their homeland due to the conflict.”

Mr Dashti emphasised that the alliance also called for consolidating Baloch-populated areas in Sindh and Punjab while advocating for separating Pashtun-popu­lated regions from Balochistan.

He expressed concern over the alleged detention of numerous Baloch individuals by government institutions without due legal process. He said the alliance also placed a strong emphasis on resettling families affected by military operations, aiming to restore their lives in their native areas.

Mr Dashti said the BNA designated all languages spoken within Pakistan as national languages and called for their promotion and development.

“The Balochistan National Alliance calls for the recognition of Balochi as the official language of Balochistan and its adoption as the medium of instruction in educational institutions,” he said, urging the government to financially support the growth of the Balochi language.

He also underlined the importance of amicable relations with neighbouring countries, namely Iran and Afghanistan.

He said the BNA called for removing barriers hindering cross-border trade, with the generated revenues being rightfully vested in Balochistan. “Diplomatic initiatives are encouraged by the alliance to foster these relationships,” he said.

The newly formed party invited Baloch intellectuals, writers, poets, political and social activists and individuals from all walks of life to join hands in its political struggle.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2023