QUETTA, Nov 28: The Balochistan National Congress has announced that it will boycott the elections. Speaking at a news conference at the press club on Tuesday, the Congress’s chief Dr Hakim Lehri urged the Baloch nationalist political groups to stay away from the polls, saying that participating in them would be tantamount to betraying the martyrs who had sacrificed their lives resisting the military operation in Balochistan.

He said the killing of nationalist leader Nawabzada Balach Marri allegedly by security forces was another big tragedy after the elimination of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti but the Baloch would not give up their struggle against the usurpers.

He alleged that after killing Balach Marri the security forces had launched an operation in Quetta and Baloch youth were being arrested from their homes at night.

Dr Lehri claimed that 12,000 Baloch people had been arrested during the past eight years and another 2,000 were missing. He alleged that the detainees were tortured in secret cells.

He said false cases had been registered against Baloch political workers and people had been forced to migrate to other provinces.

He said it was the responsibility of every Baloch to resist the oppressors.