• Govt accuses protesters of not honouring commitment
• Mahrang Baloch claims govt ‘marginalising youth’
• Challenges DG ISPR over accusations against BYC
• Exiled Baloch leaders inciting unrest, says Langove

QUETTA: As Gwadar and other areas of Balochistan remain embroiled in sit-ins and protests led by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), there seems to be no resolution in sight as negotiations with the government have reached a deadlock.

However, National Party President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has entered the fray to urge both sides to resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue, and has contacted the prime minister in this regard.

Despite efforts to implement the agreement reached between the two parties, the impasse persists, officials said on Wednesday.

Government representatives claimed that they were taking steps to fulfil the terms of the agreement, but they accused the BYC leadership of failing to uphold their end by calling off the protests in Gwadar, Quetta, Noshki, Turbat and Awaran.

Mediators involved in the talks exp­ressed grave concerns over the stalled negotiations, noting that both sides are blaming each other for not implementing the agreement signed last week.

Dr Malik, who served as the 21st chief minister of Balochistan, also contacted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti to emphasise the gravity of the situation.

He warned that the use of force could exacerbate tensions and urged the government to show restraint.

“The government should show restraint, and all matters should be resolved with Baloch Yakjehti Committee leadership through meaningful negotiations,” Dr Malik said.

A National Party spokesman said that top federal and provincial political leaders had assured Dr Malik that issues would be resolved through meaningful negotiations. However, they also emphasised that the BYC leadership must also demonstrate seriousness in the talks.

‘DG ISPR must show evidence’

Meanwhile, BYC Organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch accused the government of marginalising her and the youth, suggesting that when peaceful activism is stifled, it pushes individuals towards more radical measures.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), she challenged the accusations made by the director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) that the BYC is a “proxy for terrorist organisations”. She called for evidence to substantiate these claims and invited the DG ISPR to take the matter to court.

“If the youth are accused of being proxies for foreign hostile agencies, intimidated, arrested, or forced into hiding, what alternatives do they have to make their voices heard?” she wrote.

“As the spokesperson of a powerful institution under which all secret and financial institutions operate, he did not produce a single piece of evidence to back up his claims. If the BYC is a proxy for any hostile agencies or terror groups, where is the evidence?” Dr Mahrang questioned. “I challenge the DG ISPR to produce the evidence and take us to court if we are proxies for any terrorist outfits or working on behalf of hostile agencies.”

She criticised the unfulfilled promises made to Gwadar residents since the port’s handover to Singapore in 2007 and later to China in 2012 with the launch of CPEC.

‘Playing with fire’

The Balochistan government has maintained that foreign elements are exploiting the situation, with Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove accusing exiled Baloch leaders of inciting unrest from abroad.

“People in Europe who are advancing a foreign agenda are playing with fire and blood here,” he said, alleging that a few “so-called Baloch leaders”, who he said had obtained European citizenship and were leading a comfortable life with their families, were inciting the people through social media from abroad.

“These so-called leaders should come to Balochistan and face the situation instead of staying abroad and trying to worsen conditions in Balochistan,” Mr Langove said.

He urged the youth of Balochistan to reject foreign agendas and focus on the province’s development and prosperity.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2024