BYC protests continue despite govt deal

QUETTA/GWADAR: Roads across Balochistan remain blocked as Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) is continuing its sit-ins on various points despite reaching agreement with government to end its protests.

With protests taking place in Gwadar City, Mastung, Quetta, and other areas, the BYC, while lamenting closure of roads, has called on the government to implement their agreement, release arrested protesters, and annul the FIRs filed against them.

The forum, on Thursday night, had called off its sit-in after successful talks with officials of local administration in Gwadar district with Dr Mahrang Baloch— from the protesters' side — and Gwadar district's deputy commissioner signing the agreement from either side.

In the agreement, the government vowed to open all the roads for traffic, remove obstacles and release the arrested people in exchange for the peaceful dispersion of the protesters.

The sit-in started when the convoys of protesters, demanding the recovery of missing persons, were stopped from participating in the BYC's Gwadar meeting.

Protesters in Mastung, who were heading to the coastal city to attend the BYC meeting, were dispersed which resulted in 14 people being injured along with the martyrdom of a Pakistan Army soldier.

The issue of missing persons has been a point of contention for some time now as various demonstrations have been held in recent times — including the month-long Islamabad sit-in earlier this year.

The government, however, has time again reassured of addressing prevailing concerns. In this regard, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has also announced a Rs5 million package on Friday for each family whose family member was a 'missing person'.

The amount is aimed to provide legal and financial assistance to the heirs of missing persons.

However, with continued protests, it seems that the conundrum is far from over as the BYC has said that they want the government to completely remove obstacles and re-open the roads as they fear being stranded in between due to closed routes — which are also hindering the return of the protesters.

Meanwhile, Gwadar's district administration has complained of BYC not adhering to the agreement and ending their protests accordingly.

Saying that the government is ready to provide transport to the protesters for their return, the officials have said that the roads will be opened and the communications system will be restored as soon as the sit-in participants leave Gwadar.

Lamenting that several people, including pilgrims have been left stranded due to the closure of the Makran Coastal Highway and other roads due to the ongoing protests, the administration has said that the issue has even led to a shortage of food items in the Makran division.