IN a far corner of the posh Jinnah Town, located in the heart of Quetta, a group of bikers are engaged in a heated argument at a petrol pump selling Iranian petrol on a cloudy Saturday.

The reason for their dispute is the sudden surge in the price of Iranian petrol to Rs280 per litre, making it more expensive than petrol supplied by PSO petrol pumps across the city.

Despite the pleasant weather, their discussion becomes increasingly hea­t­­ed. One of the boys selling the Iranian petrol informs the group in a despairing tone that the border closure, following ongoing protests across Balochistan, has hindered the supply to the provincial capital.

In Quetta and other parts of Balo­ch­istan, particularly Gwadar, life has come to a standstill since the protests started on July 28. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), led by Dr Mahrang Baloch, has been vocal in its protests against human rights violations, specifically enforced disappearances.

Measures to stop protesters spark shortages of various items, price rise

Inayatullah Baloch, a resident of Kharan, was consumed by fear as he struggled to obtain medication for his ailing mother. Recounting his experience to Dawn, he recalls: “On July 27, security personnel blocked the Lakhpass tunnel by placing a container at its entrance, preventing protesters from travelling from Quetta to Gwadar. I was worried about my mother’s well-being, but thankfully, she had enough medication to last a few more days. After several attempts, I finally managed to transport the necessary medication to Kharan for my mother.”

Everyone Dawn spoke to had a story to share about their experiences after the highways were blocked by security forces. Dr Abu Bakar recounts his journey from Karachi to Quetta on July 28, when he was stuck at the Khuzdar junction on the main Quetta-Karachi highway for three days. “I finally managed to leave, but only to return to Karachi,” he shares with Dawn. “In Karachi, my initial flight was cancelled, and I had to take a return flight to Quetta after a couple of days.”

Quetta is unusually calm due to frequent protests. Manzoor Agha, a resident of Quetta, says he had to purchase one kilogram of chicken for over Rs670, citing a shortage of the meat as the reason for the price increase.

Beberg Baloch, a central leader of BYC, who is heading a sit-in in front of the University of Balochistan, said he was planning to attend the Baloch national gathering in Gwadar on July 28. However, he was unable to reach Gwadar on July 27 as all roads were blocked by the FC.

It’s worth noting that most highways remain closed. In addition to protesters, a large number of people are also stranded due to the blockades. Consequently, food shortages have emerged in several areas, affecting not only the protesters but also the general public.

Farid Shahwani, a staff member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in Quetta, told Dawn Balochistan had been shut down for over a week. Even patients could not be taken to hospitals in Karachi as the highway remains blocked. “I believe the provincial government should have allowed the protesters to hold their gathering in Gwadar…”

Like Farid, many are calling on the government to provide relief to people and engage in negotiations with the protesters.

In response to these concerns, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind tells Dawn that the government is fully aware of the challenges facing the people. He says the government has repeatedly requested that the protesters resolve their issues through dialogue.

“In Gwadar, the government offered a location for the protesters to assemble, but the BYC declined. Following a three-day protest, the government reached an agreement with the BYC, and implementation had begun, yet the sit-in persisted,” he regrets.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2024