Quetta sit-in continues as talks break down
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QUETTA: Negotiations between leaders of a long march from Turbat and the local administration did not produce any results on Tuesday as participants continued their sit-in on Sariab Road in the Kachi Baig area of the provincial capital.
Hundreds of protesters, including family members of Balach Mola Bakhsh, have been protesting for the last two weeks against his killing in what the government claimed to be a CTD operation in Turbat.
They also threatened to take their protest to the Red Zone of the provincial capital if their demands are not accepted.
Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai and senior officials of the Quetta administration, including Quetta commissioner Hamza Shafqaat, deputy commissioner Saad Bin Asad and others visited the sit-in and held talks with leaders of the long march, where they said that the marchers’ main demands had been accepted by the government, which included the registration of an FIR against CTD officials and an inquiry into the “extra-judicial” killing.
Mr Achakzai also told the protesters that they had the right to protest in any area of Quetta, except the Red Zone.
“The administration will not allow the entry of protesters to the Red Zone, which is a sensitive area and there are threats of terrorist attacks,” Mr Achakzai said, adding that the government was taking steps to resolve the issue through talks.
On the orders of the Balochistan High Court, the CTD officials involved in the operation have been suspended and an inquiry team comprising senior police officials has been constituted to investigate the matter.
The protesters reached Quetta on Monday night, gathering on Sariab Road.
The victim’s family has refused to accept the CTD claim about the alleged encounter.
They said that an additional sessions judge of Turbat had remanded Mr Balach into the CTD custody when he was produced before the court.
Workers of different political parties, activists of the Haq Do Tehreek, Baloch Yakjehti Council and civil society members also took part in the protest in Turbat for two weeks, after which they headed towards Quetta.
Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2023
