QUETTA: Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Sunday announced a series of jirgas in the Pashtun belt of Balochistan to mobilise public opinion against growing insecurity and lawlessness on the province’s national highways.

Speaking at a press conference alongside other party leaders in Quetta, Mr Achakzai said the purpose of these jirgas was to gather people, discuss solutions to the rising violence and ultimately prepare for a protest movement in the province.

He said the first jirga would be held on Nov 9 and 10 in Loralai, followed by similar gatherings in Zhob, Quetta and Pishin.

Mr Achakzai expressed grave concern over the deteriorating security situation in Balochistan and criticised the government and senior officials for failing to address the rampant killings, vehicle burnings, mine attacks and robberies happening near government offices across four deputy commissioners’ jurisdictions.

First jirga to be held on Nov 9-10 in Loralai, followed by gatherings in Zhob, Quetta, Pishin

“Dozens of people have been murdered, coal mines, machinery, and trucks burned in areas under four deputy commissioners, yet high officials are not revealing who is responsible for these incidents,” he said.

Mr Achakzai claimed that both officials and banned organisations were extorting millions from coal mine owners and trucks transporting coal to other regions. Despite mine owners paying large sums to the government, he said, the security of the people was not being ensured.

The PkMAP chief regretted that Balochistan’s highways are no longer safe for travel, with incidents of vehicles being stopped, passengers killed and property destroyed occurring regularly. “The civil and military authorities are failing to provide security, even though these incidents are happening near their offices and along their patrol routes,” he said.

Expressing a loss of faith in democracy and parliament, Mr Achakzai noted that despite the frequency of these violent incidents, no meaningful action had been taken to identify or prosecute the perpetrators.

He urged the government and civil and military agencies to fulfil their responsibilities in protecting the lives and property of the people. He also warned that the worsening security situation would deter investment in the province, hampering its development.

Mr Achakzai stressed that consulting with the local population is essential for moving forward. The jirgas would seek to develop a consensus-driven approach to peace, and the decisions made would guide the forthcoming protest movement.

In response to a question, he stressed that the public input is crucial to restoring peace. He added that while large sums of money were being spent on security, the real solution lies in engaging local tribes and empowering them to maintain peace in their areas.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2024