Pakistan: Opposition alliance to hold multi-party conference on deteriorating security in Balochistan

The TTAP called on the NA speaker to convene a special session to discuss the issue and vowed to continue with the September 8 protests no matter what.

He also said that details of the apex committee meeting of the National Action Plan, held recently in Balochistan, should be shared with the opposition, Dawn reported.

Pakistan: Opposition alliance to hold multi-party conference on deteriorating situation in Balochistan, demand convening of parliamentary session, meeting held at Sardar Latif Khosa's residence. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Umar Ayub Khan and Zain Qureshi as well as BNP-Mengal leader Sajid Tareen attended the meeting.

The opposition alliance also formed a committee led by Sahibzada Hamid Raza to hold a multi-party conference (MPC).

PTI leader Asad Qaiser said, “MPC is necessary in Balochistan to address the concerns of our Baloch brothers.” He also said that although he had raised the Balochistan issue in Parliament, the government showed no interest. He said the lack of response contributed to BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal's decision to resign from the assembly.

Speaking to Dawn, Qaiser said, “We will hold a meeting with the National Assembly speaker and try to convince him to discuss the situation in the province.” [MPC] There should be a meeting on Balochistan so that the concerns of our Baloch brothers can be addressed.

The former chairman also said that it has been decided that TTAP will hold public meetings across the country and will also fix the date for massive nationwide protests.

He said, “Pakistan's Parliament has become a mere rubber stamp. Senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa strongly criticized the wrong priorities of the Pakistan government. 'People are troubled by inflation and price rise, but the government is more interested in amending the Constitution, which is increasing the restlessness among the people.'

PTI spokesperson Rauf Hassan announced that an additional public meeting will be held in Lahore on September 22, which supporters of 12 opposition parties are expected to attend, reports Dawn.

As reported by Dawn, August 2024 saw a sharp rise in terrorist activity in Pakistan, with 59 attacks taking place across the country compared to 38 in July. This rise in violence resulted in the death of 84 people and injuries to 166 others, according to the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), an Islamabad-based think tank, reports Dawn News.

Most of these attacks took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where 29 and 28 incidents took place respectively. Balochistan alone witnessed 28 terrorist incidents in which 57 people were killed and 84 injured.

These attacks were primarily carried out by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which launched a coordinated attack targeting security forces, non-Baloch civilians and national infrastructure in more than seven districts on August 26. This campaign of violence by the BLA resulted in massive casualties and escalated tensions within the province.