QUETTA: The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) has announced a long march from Wadh to Quetta on March 28 (Friday) to protest the arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders and activists, including Dr Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen, and the police crackdown. The march will be led by BNP-M President Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

However, the Balochistan government spokesperson has stated that the BNP-M would need to seek permission from the relevant authorities for their protest march, as Section 144 is currently enforced on national highways.

The decision to organise a long march was made during the BNP-M’s central executive committee meeting. According to a party statement, the meeting condemned the police crackdown on Baloch women. “The BNP is acknowledging its political responsibilities and formally announcing its protest schedule. A shutter-down strike will be observed, followed by protests in front of press clubs in across the province on March 26. On March 28, a long march will begin from Wadh to Quetta under the leadership of party leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal,” the statement read.

The primary demands of the protest include the release of detained women and youth and the withdrawal of what the party calls baseless cases against political activists.

Meanwhile, a complete shutter-down strike was observed in Gwadar, Pasni, Surbandan, Jiwani and Ormara on the call of the BNP-M to protest the arrests of BYC leaders. Markets, banks and petrol pumps remained closed, while traffic on roads was significantly reduced.

In Gwadar, Haq Do Tehreek organised a protest rally, which was attended by a large number of women as well as families of missing persons.

Behram Baloch in Gwadar and Saleem Shahid in Quetta contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2025