QUETTA: Political parties’ protests over alleged election rigging continued in Quetta and other cities of Balochistan for the third consecutive day on Sunday.

The sit-ins on major roads and highways meant the province had been cut off from other parts of the country. Hundreds of vehicles, including passenger coaches, buses, trucks carrying goods and other vehicles, were stranded at different entry points, causing difficulties to the people, including women and children.

The protests took place in the provincial capital and many areas of Makran division on Sunday, with leaders vowing to continue demonstration and keep roads and highways closed until the results of their winning candidates are rectified.

They claimed that results were changed in favour of other candidates who actually lost the elections.

Hundreds of political party workers and supporters continued their sit-in in front of the Quetta deputy commissioner’s office, who was also the district returning officer.

They carried placards and banners inscribed with their demands.

The workers and supporters of the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) held a rally led by the president, Abdul Khaliq Hazara.

The protesters marched on the main roads of Quetta, and Mr Hazara later addressed a press conference and a public meeting in the Marriabad area of the provincial capital.

The gathering was attended by thousands of people, including women of the Hazara community. They condemned the alleged change in the election results of HDP candidates and demanded that actual results be restored.

“We cannot accept rigging in the election results, which were changed by the DROs in favour of selected candidates,” said Mr Hazara while addressing the party’s supporters.

Seema Batool, an HDP leader and human rights defender, said that the alleged change in results was “an affront to the public mandate” that could not be tolerated.

“Women would continue their protest until actual results are restored,” she added.

BNP-Mengal, PPP, PTI, JUI-F, National Party and other parties also staged demonstrations in front of the Quetta Press Club.

Rallies were also held in Mastung, Chaman, Chagai, Dalbandin, Loralai, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Sohbatpur, Kalat, Noshki, Qila Abdullah, Kharan and Sibi.

Dr Malik Baloch, the National Party president, who led the protests in Turbat and Gwadar, claimed his constituency’s result was changed and his opponent was declared as winner.

All roads and highways connecting Makran with Quetta and Karachi were blocked by the National Party workers, resulting in the complete suspension of traffic.

The Quetta-Chaman train service was also affected due to the protests. Meanwhile, transporters and passengers have demanded the government take notice of the situation, as they were facing serious problems due to the sit-ins on national highways.

Behram Baloch in Gwadar, Ali Jan Mangi in Nasirabad and Abdul Wahid Shahwani in Khuzdar also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2024