GWADAR: Hundreds of people, political workers, traders and members of civil society on Sunday staged a protest rally in Panjgur town against rising incidents of kidnapping for ransom of traders and general people and worsening law and order situation in the area.

The protest call was given by All Parties Citizen Action Committee of Makran against the abduction of prominent figure of the area Gul Jan Rind and many other people in the Panjgur district.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the main Bismillah Chowk of Panjgur and marched on roads and streets carrying placards and banners inscribed with their demands and anti-government slogans.

The rally was led by APCACM Chairman, Nawab Shambay Zai, JUI Panjgur leader Hafiz Muhammad Azam Baloch, BNP leader Mir Nazir Ahmed Baloch, National Party acting president Mujeeb Rehman, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Maulvi Noor, PML-N leader Ashraf Sagat, Haq Do Tehreek Panjgur leader Mullah Farhad and PPP Panjgur leader Javed Baloch.

The leaders of the protesters demanded the government and law-enforcement agencies to take immediate steps for the safe recovery of Shah Nawaz Gul and other abducted people.

They questioned why, despite availability and presence of modern technology with the law-enforcement agencies, the victim’s phone number had not been traced. They demanded immediate arrest of those responsible for the kidnapping and said the protesters have one point agenda and that is safe recovery of Shah Nawaz Gul and other kidnapped people of the area.

They said had the government, district administration and law-enforcement agencies made sincere efforts, Shah Nawaz Gul would have been recovered by now.

They said the law, order situation in the area had become critical and nobody’s life, property and honour is safe now in the area, creating an atmosphere of extreme fear among the masses.

They also referred to some previous incidents, including the killing of Waleed Saleh, brother of Rahmat Saleh, whose perpetrators they said were still unknown.

The leaders said that the son of the respected and peace-loving figure Gul Jan was abducted from Turbat about two months ago, adding that democratic and peaceful political forces were repeatedly approaching authorities of the area, but in vain.

They demanded Balochistan chief minister, Inspector General of Police, the Makran commissioner, the deputy commissioner of Turbat, and the DPO of Turbat to take immediate steps for safe recovery of the kidnapped people.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2026