Sardar Akhtar Mengal, chief of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), has called off the party’s 20-day-long sit-in in Mastung, shifting focus toward a public outreach campaign across the province. The sit-in was launched to protest the arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders, including Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch.
Mengal, while addressing a press conference, emphasized that the movement would continue in a new form. The party now plans to organize rallies and protests at the district level in phases, starting with Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, and Surab. The second phase will target areas like Turbat, Gwadar, and Makran, followed by rallies in Nasirabad and other regions in the final stage.
Mengal criticized the government’s handling of the situation, claiming the state hindered a peaceful protest and treated Baloch demands differently than others, such as those related to Kashmir. He also noted that government negotiators admitted their helplessness in resolving the issue.
Former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani welcomed Mengal’s decision to end the sit-in, calling it a “peaceful and wise” move. Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the BYC, labeling some of its activists as sympathizers of separatist elements, further fueling tensions.
