Sardar Akhtar Mengal and other leaders of his faction of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) remained unhurt after a suicide bomber detonated himself near their rally in Mastung on Saturday. The rally was en route from Wadh to Quetta when the attack occurred.
The march, which began from Mengal’s hometown of Wadh, was organized to protest the arrests of Balochistan Unity Committee (BYC) Chief Organizer Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other Baloch leaders, as well as a police crackdown on their ongoing sit-ins. However, Quetta authorities had denied BNP-Mengal permission to hold the rally.
The march, which included various political parties and motorcyclists, started around 9 am on Friday. BNP-Mengal later claimed that more than 250 of their workers were arrested by the police during their rally near Mastung. The party also reported dozens of injuries from police action, including heavy use of tear gas and road blockades by containers.
On Saturday, at approximately 1 pm, reports of an explosion near the rally emerged. Sardar Akhtar Mengal confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that he and his party members were safe.
A spokesman for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind, assured the public that no casualties had been reported while emphasizing that the provincial government was responsible for ensuring the safety of Mengal and other BNP leaders.
Rind further stated that the explosion occurred near a sit-in site, but no loss of life was confirmed. He promised that the public would be informed about the investigation’s findings soon.
The provincial government had been in touch with BNP-Mengal leadership since the previous night, and a meeting with local authorities had been scheduled.
According to Assistant Commissioner Akram Harifal, a suspicious individual was spotted by Levis forces near Luk Pass and was approached by security officers. Upon attempting to flee, the individual detonated an explosive device, but fortunately, no casualties occurred.
Harifal added that security measures near the rally site were strengthened, with additional Levis officers deployed.
In a speech to supporters in Mastung, Sardar Akhtar Mengal claimed that four rally participants had been injured in the explosion while accusing the state of being the real threat, stating, “We face no threat from any group, but we do from the state.”
He insisted that their protest would remain peaceful, despite attempts to escalate the situation.
Mengal reiterated his demands for the release of leaders and supporters of the Balochistan Unity Committee, stressing that the release of women detainees was a key condition for the protest’s de-escalation. He also offered to surrender himself to authorities in exchange for their release, stating, “Release the women, and we will go back.”
BNP-Mengal Claims Arrests and Violent Clashes
The BNP-Mengal further claimed that over 250 of its workers had been arrested by security forces during operations near Luk Pass in Mastung. The party accused law enforcement of firing on the marchers, using tear gas, and setting up roadblocks with containers to stop their progress.
Mengal criticized the government for forcing the people to protest, claiming that had the government worked hard for the welfare of the province, protests would not have been necessary.
In response to the ongoing protest, Quetta administration warned that legal action would be taken if the march continued. The Deputy Commissioner of Quetta wrote a letter on Friday rejecting BNP-Mengal’s request for approval to enter Quetta.
The letter reminded BNP-Mengal that a ban had been imposed by the Balochistan Home Department on all public gatherings, including rallies, processions, and sit-ins, for three months starting February 28.
The letter also mentioned that the Intelligence and Coordination Committee had decided that rallies or long marches would not be permitted within the jurisdiction of Quetta due to the prevailing law and order situation. It further warned that any violation would result in the organizers being held fully responsible for any disruptions and facing legal action.
The provincial government maintained that it was in contact with BNP-Mengal leadership and reassured that they were committed to ensuring the safety of all participants in the long march.
The government also stressed that the situation would be closely monitored, and further updates on the investigation into the bombing would be provided to the public.
