QUETTA: Traffic bet­w­e­­en Quetta and border town Chaman remained susp­e­n­ded for hours, after two po­­litical parties staged prot­e­sts against an assistant ret­urning officer on the highway connecting Quetta with Kandahar, on Monday.

Workers and supporters of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) gathered in large numbers near Syed Hameed bridge and placed barricades to record their protest against the posting of an assistant ret­urning officer for conducting election on the provincial assembly seat PB-50.

The leaders of both parties alleged that the assistant RO is a close relative of a candidate and belongs to the same village and cast as those of the candidate.

“It is an attempt to pave the way for pre-poll rigg­i­­ng, which is not acceptable to other candidates,” a lea­d­­­­er who was leading the pro­tests said, adding that not only one party but all other candidates have obj­ections to the appointment of the assistant returning officer.

The protesters, who blo­cked the highway, chanted slogans against the electio­­n commission and demanded that the official be changed immediately to ensure free and fair elections in PB-50 constituency of Qila Abdullah.

Traffic remained susp­en­ded between Quetta and Chaman due to the protest, leaving a number of trucks and buses stranded in a gridlock on both sides.

During the day, local administration made efforts to remove the hurdles on the highway but the protesting workers of JUI-F and PkMAP refused to budge until the removal of the assistant RO.

Later in the evening, the protesters agreed to open the highway and restore traffic after negotiations with the officials of the Balochistan election commission who assured them that the officer would be replaced.

“Traffic has been restored after successful talks with JUI-F and PkMAP local leaders,” a senior local administration officer also confirmed to Dawn.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2024