Daily Times

The Opposition Grand Alliance – Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) – has called for an All Parties Conference (APC) to address the worsening security situation in Balochistan, expressing deep concern over the current state of affairs.

During a presser in Islamabad on Wednesday, PTI’s Asad Qaiser stated, “Our alliance is seriously concerned about the situation in Balochistan. We will meet with the National Assembly speaker and urge him to take action, including convening an APC on Balochistan.”

Qaiser emphasised the need to address the grievances of “estranged Baloch brothers,” noting that despite raising the issue in the assembly, the government has shown little interest.

He stressed the importance of a serious discussion on Balochistan, warning, “Our enemies are exploiting this situation. We are planning nationwide protests and rallies, including a day of countrywide demonstrations.”

Latif Khosa criticised the government’s economic policies and attempts to amend the Constitution, which he said have caused widespread public concern. “They don’t have the two-thirds majority to amend the Constitution, so they should stop this talk,” Khosa said.

A committee, headed by Sahibzada Hamid Raza and including Khosa, has been formed to coordinate the APC. “We want to resolve these issues through an APC,” Khosa said, adding that the opposition aims to save Pakistan and uphold the rule of law. Mahmood Khan Achakzai echoed Khosa’s sentiments, calling it a positive sign that all parties believe in the supremacy of the Constitution. He announced the formation of a committee that will start working immediately to arrange the APC.

“If our demands are not met, we will launch nationwide protests,” Achakzai warned, but added that if the APC is held, “we won’t need to resort to protests.” He also assigned Asad Qaiser the task of meeting with Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. Achakzai criticised the indifference towards the crisis in Balochistan, saying, “We are laughing while Balochistan burns. All parties must agree to remove the entrenched elite families.”

Separately, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman urged parliament on Wednesday to hold a dialogue with the “people of Balochistan and KP” to address their security concerns.

Speaking in NA, Fazl said: “I still believe that if the parliament is requested to step forward and go and talk to the people of Balochistan and KP, then the situation can be reverted to normal.” He said that the “government’s writ in Balochistan and KP had ended due to unrest” and that “armed elements are ruling there and collecting taxes”.

“The importance of politicians is being eliminated today. Renowned, knowledgeable, experienced, and senior [political] leadership is being sidelined,” he said, adding that new politicians replacing them have no experience. “Empower politicians. Hand over matters to them,” the JUI-F leader remarked.

He wondered whether the “government had the ability and power to make decisions on its own”. “There cannot be a bigger mistake than considering the Parliament, political parties, and politicians unnecessary for the country,” the JUI-F leader said.

The JUI-F chief said that Pakistan had become a “battleground for the proxy war between the United States and China”.

Stressing that terrorism had become an extremely serious issue, Fazl said, “In some areas, even Pakistan’s national anthem cannot be sung and the country’s flag cannot be hoisted in some schools today.

Calling the missing persons issue “extremely important”, the JUI-F chief said, “People’s loved ones have been missing for 20 years and they are not told whether they have died or are alive in jail or have fled. “Wherever they are, it is the government’s responsibility to inform their family of their location,” he asserted.

Fazl affirmed that the people of each of the four provinces had the right to that region’s resources. “I want the nation to trust the army but such actions are eroding that trust,” he said, alleging that a person arrested a year before the Army Public School attack was among those hanged over the incident.

Referring to the alleged involvement of Afghan nationals in the Bisham attack, Fazl questioned if it was also Afghanistan’s “responsibility if the terrorists crossed the 200-250 checkposts located all the way from Quetta to Bisham”.

Fazl also criticised the closure of government departments under the plan of “rightsizing”, arguing that such actions would deprive people of their jobs while unemployment in the country was already high.

In his address, Omar Ayub – the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly -termed the people of Balochistan “more patriotic” than the rest of the country.

The PTI secretary-general, insisted on taking Mengal’s resignation seriously, asking for redressal of the grievances pertaining to the province’s stakeholders.

“A fact-finding mission should go to Balochistan and assess the situation,” the politician said, demanding the formation of a committee that could talk to Balochistan’s people.

Meanwhile, the first round of negotiation between the government and BNP chief Akhtar Mengal has ended in failure. The government delegation has failed to convince Akhtar Mengal, who decided not to withdraw his resignation. “I have raised the issue of Balochistan’s exploitation in every government, but the government is unable to understand it. Mengal resigned from the National Assembly a day ago citing frustration and lack of freedom in Parliament as well as the apathy of lawmakers towards insecurity faced by the people of Balochistan.

The veteran politician’s resignation came amid heightened security tensions in Balochistan after recent deadly attacks and increased protests over past months against enforced disappearances. A government delegation led by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs and Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah visited Mengal at the Parliament Lodges to convince him to take back his resignation.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Sanaullah said: “We requested him to remain a part of Parliament and to continue his struggle in the same way as he always has in the ambit of the law and the Constitution to talk about Balochistan’s rights and deprivation and the bravery with which he has fought the case of the people of Balochistan. “All of us are appreciative of him and we are with him.”

Sanaullah said Mengal had “registered out review petition” and hoped that it would be accepted by the veteran politician.

“We respect him immensely and he has a very powerful and strong voice and role for Balochistan’s rights and deprivation and it should remain present in Parliament.”