Balochistan govt denies jail meeting with Mahrang Baloch

QUETTA: The spokesperson for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind, has categorically rejected reports of a government delegation meeting with Mahrang Baloch in jail, calling them baseless.

Addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Saturday, he clarified that participants of the Balochistan National Party (BNP)’s long march will not be allowed to enter Quetta’s Red Zone.

He stated that the protesters have been offered an alternative venue for their sit-in at Shahwani Stadium in Saryab, as Section 144 is currently enforced across Quetta city.

Any violation, he warned, will be dealt with strictly under the law. Legal action will also be initiated against Dr. Sabiha Baloch of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) for delivering an anti-state speech during the protest. A formal response will be issued to BNP leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s recent address, which was also deemed hostile to the state.

“Sardar Akhtar Mengal remains adamant about staging a sit-in within the Red Zone,” Rind said, adding that the government is exercising restraint despite security concerns that have escalated after the recent attack on the Jaffar Express. “The government had already issued alerts regarding potential threats in the city,” he noted.

Rind revealed that two rounds of negotiations had taken place with BNP leaders, with input from BNP (Awami), the National Party, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, but all efforts had failed to reach a resolution.

He outlined Mengal’s three main demands, which included the release of Mahrang Baloch—a matter under judicial purview, not the government’s. The second demand was to allow the sit-in in the Red Zone, which cannot be accepted due to the imposition of Section 144. “The provincial government stands by its offer to let the protesters gather at Shahwani Stadium, but the BNP insists on marching to the Red Zone,” he said, reiterating that any defiance will be met with legal consequences.

On the question of whether Mahrang Baloch’s organization is a legitimate political party, Rind said that only Mahrang herself could clarify that. “The public is well aware that after the Jaffar Express incident, the BYC organized protests and sit-ins. Just yesterday, their leadership made another anti-state speech at a rally held under the banner of a registered political party. This entire episode is under legal review and appropriate action will be taken.”

He further asserted that Sardar Akhtar Mengal will not be allowed entry into the Red Zone, the Balochistan Assembly, or the Balochistan High Court (BHC) premises.

Responding to a question on Afghan refugees, Rind said the provincial government is bound by the federal government’s policy.

Meanwhile, BNP has responded strongly to the government’s position. In an official statement, the party declared that if the rule of law truly existed in the country, the situation would not have deteriorated to this extent.

“Here, laws are crafted to suit the whims and interests of the ruling elite. Such bluster is not new—dictators like Musharraf also made similar threats, which were ignored then and will be ignored now,” the statement said. “These salaried spokespeople simply recite scripted lines for the media. No one takes them seriously.”