KARACHI: The chief of the Balochistan chapter of Jamhoori Watan Party – Talal faction, Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, on Thursday reiterated that he would lead a ‘long march’ towards Dera Bugti on January 28.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Shahzain Bugti said he would lead the “peaceful long march” comprising internally displaced Baloch tribesmen and workers belonging to his father Talal Bugti’s faction of the JWP.

“We have rejected the government’s Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochistan package as it is clear by now that the government has no intention of implementing its proposals,” Shahzain told Dawn.com.

He further stated that his recent arrest was “a development that came about after the long march announcement”.

“I was implicated in a fake case and it was a clear warning against going ahead with the January 28 march…come what may, we will hold the march to Dera Bugti,” he said.

Shahzain, the grandson of late Nawab Akbar Bugti, and his 26 security guards were arrested on December 22, 2010 by paramilitary troops of the Frontier Corps at the Buleli checkpoint near Quetta. Their arrest followed the recovery of a huge quantity of illegal arms and ammunition, including anti-aircraft guns, from the vehicles of Shahzain's convoy coming from the border town of Chaman.

Shahzain and the 26 guards were released from Quetta district jail on January 18 after grant of bail by the Balochistan High Court.