LAHORE: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan said on Friday Balochistan should be a priority following the Jaffer Express incident.

He claimed that the government had no control over more than eight districts in Balochistan, the largest province of the country by area.

Speaking to the media outside the anti-terrorism court, the opposition leader condemned the Jaffer Express incident and highlighted that young soldiers and officers were sacrificing their lives on a daily basis.

He expressed disappointment that the issue of Balochistan had not been addressed.

He said such incidents were occurring due to intelligence failures. He questioned whether intelligence agencies were asleep or solely focused on political figures.

Omar also mentioned that he wanted to meet imprisoned party leaders in Kot Lakhpat Jail of Lahore through his lawyer. He lamented that despite a court order, he went to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to meet the party’s founder but was made to wait for an hour and a half before the superintendent refused the meeting. He stated that the party’s founder was in jail because he neither sought a deal nor any leniency.

The opposition leader further said the current chief election commissioner was holding the office unconstitutionally.

Earlier, an ATC extended the interim pre-arrest bail of Omar Ayub till April 8 in three cases of May 9 riots.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2025