QUETTA, Jan 13: The central executive committee of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) has decided to hold protest meetings at Quetta, Hub, Turbat and Usta Mohammad against the construction of Gwadar deep seaport and cantonments at Kohlu, Wadah and Sui.

Talking to Dawn on phone, BNP-M secretary-general Habib Jalib Baloch said that the meeting was held at Gwadar and continued for two days. It was presided over by the party chief and former Balochistan chief minister, Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

Mr Baloch said that at the end of the meeting Mr Mengal told reporters that the party had decided to launch a mass contact programme and hold protest meetings at Quetta, Hub, Turbat and Usta Mohammad to let people know of the motives behind the setting up of cantonments in Balochistan and the construction of Gwadar deep seaport.

Mr Mengal, refuting the claims of the rulers that mega projects would bring prosperity to Balochistan, said that the projects were meant to let Punjabis settle in the province and turn the Baloch people into minority.

He said that his party was not against uplift schemes, but not at the cost of the rights of Baloch people. He said that the dates for the public meetings would be announced after talking other nationalist parties into confidence, to make the move a success.