QUETTA: Awami National Party (ANP) Balochistan President Asghar Khan Achakzai on Saturday expressed support for the demands of the Grand Alliance and announced that a multiparty conference would be held on Jan 22 to protest against the government’s treatment of its employees.

Speaking at a press conference alongside party leaders Sanaullah Kakar, Shan Alam, and others, Mr Achakzai strongly criticised the provincial government for what he described as an unjust crackdown on political activists and Grand Alliance workers.

He said raids on homes, arrests, and the inclusion of activists’ names in the Fourth Schedule were inappropriate and undemocratic practices. Mr Achakzai added that while two provinces of the country were enjoying relative peace, the other two, including Balochistan, were facing instability, yet no serious efforts were being made to restore peace.

He said ANP’s parliamentary members stood firmly with the Grand Alliance and demanded that the government honour its commitments made to employees. He accused the provincial government of pushing more than 232,000 employees “against the wall” while focusing only on protecting its own interests.

Calling the present assembly “illegitimate”, Mr Achakzai alleged that political divisions were being deliberately created at the government level. He claimed that after political workers, at least 38 more individuals, including professors, had been arrested, and questioned the rationale behind retaliatory actions against employees, including raids on their homes.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2026