QUETTA / GWADAR: Vari­ous political parties continued to hold rallies and sit-ins in several parts of the province on Monday against alleged rigging in elections, causing traffic suspension between Balochistan and other provinces.

An alliance of four parties representing Baloch, Pashtoon and Hazara nationalists gave a call for a shutter down strike in the province for Tuesday (today) and made it clear they would not abandon their protest until what they called changed results are not withdrawn.

The alliance, comprising Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), PTI and Hazara Democr­atic Party (HDP) also sought cooperation from other political parties to extend make the strike successful and force the Election Commission of Pakistan and establishment to honour the mandate of the people of Balochistan.

Already on Monday, a complete shutterdown strike was observed in Turbat and other areas on the call of National Party against the alleged rigging.

Strike observed in Turbat on call of NP; trade with Iran, Afghanistan still suspended

All markets and private ban­ks in Turbat remained closed throughout the day. Intra-city traffic remained thin.

NP President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, while speaking at a protest rally at Fida Shaheed Cho­wk, said it was not the establishment’s right to interfere in politics as its duty is to defend the country and its frontiers.

He said that under a well-planned conspiracy it had been decided to keep Baloch and Pashtoon nationalists away from parliament, but “we will resist such conspiracies” so that we can represent our people in parliament to raise our voice for their rights.

“People whom they have declared winners came to us and requested that we should not ap­­p­­r­oach the courts,” he claimed, add­ing it was their right to appr­o­ach the courts against the injustice.

Protests also continued in Quetta, Chaman, Zhob and northern parts of Balochistan.

The sit-ins staged by the NP, BNP-Mengal, PkMAP, PTI and HDP continued outside the commissioner and deputy commissioner offices.

The PkMAP blocked Serena Chowk in Quetta after a JUI-F candidate was declared winner against Khushhal Khan Kakar, suspending vehicular traffic.

Trade with Afghanistan and Iran was suspended as Quetta-Chaman and Quetta-Taftan highways were also blocked by the protesters.

Long queues of cars, buses and trucks on roads caused difficulties for travellers and transporters awaiting traffic clearance.

Abdul Wahid Shahwani in Khuzdar and Ali Jan Mangi in Nasirabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2024