QUETTA: The multiparty conference held by the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) here at Lakpass on Monday rejected the recent decisions of the National Security Council, especially its ‘hard-state’ policy, and demanded release of all the female activists, leaders and workers.

The MPC, which was presided over by Sardar Akhtar Mengal issued a joint Lakpass declaration and nine resolutions adopted with consensus of the leaders of different political parties who attended the conference which continued for several hours.

The joint declaration, calling for the implementation of constitutional safeguards related to the 1948 Instrument of Accession of Balochistan to Pakistan and urging a national-level dialogue to resolve longstanding issues.

The leaders of political parties during their speeches said that adopting hard state policy for resolving the issue of Balochistan will cause further unrest and worsen the situation. They said that the government should avoid adopting such hard policy and resolve the issue of Balochistan through implementing the constitution.

MPC demands release of all ‘political prisoners’, calls for national dialogue

The conference was attended by leaders of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, both factions of National Party, Awami National Party, Jamaat-i-Islami, Pashtoon Tahaf­fuz Mov­e­ment, National Demo­cratic Movement, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen, JUI (Sherani faction), Balochistan Traders’ Association, Balochistan National Party (Awami), Jamhoori Watan Party, and various other political and tribal figures.

The parties condem­ned the suppression of democratic movements and strongly criticised the arrests of Baloch Yakjihti Committee leaders, including Dr Mahrang Baloch.

Demands

A resolution passed in the MPC condemned the harassment and arrests of BNP and BYC leaders and workers during the long march and sit-in.

The resolution slam­med the killing of activist Inayatullah Lehri during a peaceful protest in Wadh and dem­anded immediate legal action against those res­ponsible.

It also deman­ded the release of all political prisoners across the country, including Imran Khan, Ali Wazir, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, and Sindh-based Canal Tehreek activists. “The federal government should end its aggressive policies in Balochistan, including military operations, enforced disappearances, and arrests under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law,” it stated.

Other demands included cancellation of the Mines and Minerals Act 2025, termination of the PPL agreement, recognition of Balochistan’s 50 per cent share in the Reko Diq project, elimination of “exploitative check-posts” on the national highways, in border areas, and those operated by the FC, Coast Guards, and other federal agencies.

A call for national-level dialogue to resolve Balochistan’s issues, implementation of constitutional safeguards linked to the 1948 Instrument of Accession, and compensation for billions in losses suffered by farmers, traders, transporters, and business owners due to flawed government policies were also part of the demands made at the multiparty conference.

The conference was addressed by Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzai, Asghar Khan Achakzai, Abdul Mateen Akhunzada, Mir Israrullah Zehri, Nawab Mohammad Khan Shahwani, among others.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2025