BNP’s Mengal to announce new round of demonstrations tomorrow – Pakistan

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal announced on Wednesday that he would announce new demonstrations tomorrow as his protest against the recent arrests of rights activists entered its sixth day, and his talks with a government delegation a day earlier bore no fruit.

The BNP-M had announced a long march from Wadh to Quetta last Friday to protest against the arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee leaders and activists, including Dr Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch, as well as the police crackdown on their sit-in in Quetta.

The sit-in is currently at Lakpass, where a provincial government delegation comprising Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, Bakht Muhammad Kakar and Sardar Noor Ahmed Bangulzai arrived to hold talks with the BNP-M chief but could not convince him to end the sit-in.

On Wednesday, Mengal took to X and wrote that he would announce a new wave of demonstrations at 5pm on April 3 (tomorrow).

“The delegation that visited us yesterday to negotiate on our legitimate demands lacked the authority to speak independently,” Mengal wrote, adding that they were “messengers” and lacked power, which “lies with those who truly control this province”.

“Tomorrow, April 3, 2025, at 5pm, we will announce our next phase of demonstrations,” the BNP-M chief said. “If they (the government) believe they can distract us with these hollow negotiations, let it be clear: they’ve miscalculated once again.”

In a separate post, Mengal wrote that there has been a widespread internet “blackout” across Balochistan.

“Since late last night, all cellular networks and home WiFi in Balochistan have been shut down,” he wrote. “The sole purpose of this blackout is to silence the voices of the oppressed.”

He later said that senior PTI members, who were on their way to join the sit-in, were stopped from reaching their destination.

“In response, trenches have been dug, more containers placed, and additional forces deployed. Every attempt the government makes to wash away its stains only ends up leaving it more tainted.”

Marchers and motorists from different political parties began their journey to Quetta from Mengal’s native town of Wadh at around 9am on Friday.

On Saturday, after the BNP-M claimed that over 250 of its activists were detained as its march was met with police action near Mastung, Mengal and other party workers also survived a suicide bombing.