QUETTA: The sit-ins by an alliance of four nationalist parties across Balochistan continued on Friday against the alle­ged rigging in the Febru­ary 8 general elections.

The protest has been continuing for over two weeks in different parts of Balochistan including the provincial capital, Quetta.

Supporters of the four-party alliance continued the sit-in outside the office of the Quetta district returning officer.

The demonstrators have set up a camp at the roadside to continue their protest round the clock.

Reports from Loralai, Khuzdar, Turbat, Panjgur, Gwadar, Hub, Noshki, Kharan, Kalat, Pishin, Chaman and Qila Abdullah suggested sit-ins have been continuing in these areas.

In some areas, traffic was affected on inter-provincial roads, but the national highways which connect Balochistan with other parts of the country have been opened.

A public meeting was also held by the alliance leaders in Pishin on Thursday.

The meeting was addressed by Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the PkMAP chairman, Sajid Tareen, senior vice president of BNP-Mengal, Dr Ishaq Baloch, vice president of National Party, and others.

Mr Achakzai said he had suggested a multi-party conference to find out solution to problems being faced by the country.

However, “no heed was paid to our suggestion”.

“The country, an atomic power, is seeking loans from various counties and international financial institutions and it is ready to accept their tough conditions,” Mr Achakzai said, adding that in this situation no judge or general could save the country from further disaster.

He said it is time to convene a round table conference of all political parties, generals, judges, journalists and all stakeholders to steer the country out of this imbroglio.

Other party leaders said that people of the province will not accept the results of the rigged election and they would continue their protest across the province until the actual results were announced.

Behram Baloch in Gwadar, Ali Jan Mangi in Nasirabad and Abdul Wahid Shahwani in Khuzdar also contributed to this report.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2024