Govt offers ‘limited march’ to BNP-M in Quetta

Spokesman for the Balochistan government Shahid Rind said on Saturday that the provincial government reserved the right to respond to anti-state speeches made by the leaders of Balochistan National Party (BNP), a registered political party, at its rally, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

Addressing a press conference in Quetta, Shahid Rind said that action would be taken against the speakers after going through the contents of their speeches. He suggested to BNP-Mengal that the government is willing to allow the party to march till Quetta’s Shahwani Stadium on Sariab Road, but warned the party of action if the city’s Red Zone is breached.

Rindh further said the government had allowed the BNP to stage a sit-in at Shahwani Stadium. “If the party tries to hold a sit-in at any other place, it will not be permitted,” Rind said, adding the government was still exercising restraint. We are trying to sort out our differences with the BNP through dialogue."

Replying to a question about whether the government committee was holding negotiations with Mah Rang Baloch, he said it was not in his knowledge.

He went on to say that the Afghan refugees living in the province would be repatriated to their homeland in the light of the instructions of the federal government.

The spokesman said there were security concerns over the long march by the BNP.  

He rubbished BNP Chairman Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s claim that the government’s negotiating team was toothless.

Rind offered BNP-M to march till Quetta’s Shahwani Stadium on Sariab Road and warned the party of action if the provincial capital’s Red Zone is breached.

Rind said: “The provincial government held a dialogue and proposed that BNP-M will be allowed till Shawani Stadium on Sariab Road, but they did not agree and wanted to hold the demonstration in the Red Zone. However, the government will not accept that.”

Rind said peaceful protest is a right, but the specifics of where and for how long the protest will be held are for the district administration to determine. “They have announced to bring the march to Quetta, and they should know that Section 144 has already been declared, and if it will be violated, then the law will take its course,” Rind added.

While answering a question regarding how the government would enforce its decision, Rind responded: “No permission will be given to hold the Red Zone and government functionaries hostage.”

He also claimed that the platform of a registered political party was used for anti-state speeches in reference to the BNP-M, adding appropriate legal action has been initiated. “On the remarks made against the Balochistan government by Akhtar Mengal yesterday, the government reserves the right and capacity to respond but Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti had directed from day one that no such remarks should be made that would derail this political process, and hence this is not the moment to respond,” he said.

On the topic of negotiations with the BNP-M, Rind maintained two rounds of negotiations have taken place with the party, and apart from them, the Balochistan CM has talked to Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and the Balochistan Awami Party and developed a political consensus.

“Mengal claimed that the negotiation committee was without authority, so they were given authority, and they had three demands that were the release of Mahrang and BYC leadership and our stance was clear that if courts provide relief, the government would not object,” Rind stated.