Balochistan reaches deal with Chaman protests

F.P. Report

QUETTA: Caretaker Minister for Information Jan Achakzai on Tuesday announced the solution of the Chaman protests disruption following the release of four detained protesters on the guarantee of local elders.

The area elders pledged that the protesters would not disrupt the normal life of Chaman town. Earlier, the protesters had blocked the Chaman Passport Office, prompting local law enforcement agencies (police and Levies) to remove the barricades.

However, the roadblocks have since been cleared and traffic remains normal. The protests had emerged against the newly implemented one-document requirement for travel, which stipulates that a passport is mandatory. The local administration has reiterated its commitment to enforcing this state-mandated policy and warned against any attempts to create law and order problems, emphasizing that such actions will be met with stern action.

Enraged people blocked Quetta-Chaman highway at Dara-e-Khojak area in protest on Tuesday against the detention of the Laghari Ittehad leaders.

On the call of All Parties, Anjuman-e-Tajiran, and Laghari Ittehad of Chaman region, the angry protesters blocked Quetta Chaman main highway and raised slogans against the authorities. The blockade of highway caused long queues of vehicles moving between Quetta and Chaman. It is pertinent to mention All Parties Chaman, Anjuman-e-Tajiran, and Laghari Ittehad have been observing protest sit-in in Chaman for the last many months against the implementation of “Single Document Regime “ for travelling between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Police detained leaders and workers of Laghari Ittehad the previous day when they staged a protest sit-in outside Passport Office Chaman against single document regime. Separately, Caretaker Minister for Information, Jan Achakzai has said that protesters were arrested after they took the law into their hands by blocking passport office in Chaman.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, he said that permission had been granted to All Parties Chaman, Anjuman-e-Tajiran and Laghari Ittehad to observe peaceful protest sit-in in Chaman, but the government had to intervene after protesters resorted to provocative act by blocking Passport Office in Chaman. He said that implementation of “Single Document Regime” was the decision of the state and it would be implemented at any cost.

Pushtunkhwa National Awami Party (PNAP) on Tuesday rallied and staged a protest demonstration against alleged altering of the result of NA-251-Killa Saifullah-cum-Zhob constituency.

The rally, under the aegis of PNAP, was taken out from the Central Secretariat of PNAP at Jinnah Road. The participants marched through different roads and reached Bacha Khan Chowk where a protest demonstration was held.

Addressing the protest demonstration, the party leaders said that Chairman, PNAP, Khushal Khan Kakar, had won the election from NA-251-Killa Saifullah-cum-Zhob, but District Returning Officer had altered the election result, turning the victory of Khushal Khan Kakar into defeat.

They demanded to declare Chairman PNAP Khushal Khan Kakar as winner from NA-251-Killa Saifullah-cum-Zhob constituency. The protest demonstration was addressed by Senior Deputy Chairman, PNAP, Raza Muhammad Raza, Provincial President, Nasrullah Zarae and others.

Meanwhile, the PTI backed candidate from PB-40-III-Quetta, Dawood Shah Kakar, said on Tuesday that authorities of five police polling stations had been tasked not to allow Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf backed candidates for election campaign in Quetta.

Addressing a press conference at Quetta Press Club with provincial leader of PTI, Sardar Zain-ul-Abidien Khilji and others, he said that the general elections were rigged and cellular services suspended, adding that ballot boxes of 18 polling stations of PB-40-III-Quetta were seized.