Rule of Armed Groups on Quetta-Karachi National Highway; Five Vehicles and Passengers Taken Hostage in a Single Day Is a Slap on Government Claims: All Balochistan Transporters
Quetta (Daily Qudrat Quetta) — President of the All Balochistan Transporters Action Committee Habibullah Khan Badizai, General Secretary Mir Akbar Lahri, Haji Musa Jan Achakzai, and Haji Walu Nasar, expressing severe reaction to the worst law and order situation on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway, have said that the incidents of armed groups allegedly taking five passenger vehicles at the same time in a single day, along with the passengers and crew aboard them, hostage are extremely alarming, while effective measures to stop these incidents and provide protection to passengers are not visible.
They said that the government and law enforcement agencies never tire of making claims of improving the law and order situation in the province, but the incidents occurring on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway are raising serious questions about these claims. If citizens, transporters, and drivers of passenger vehicles traveling on the national highway do not have protection, it not only spreads fear and panic among the people but also severely affects the transport sector.
It is unacceptable in any way that vehicles worth millions of rupees belonging to transporters and the lives of hundreds of people traveling in them are allegedly at the mercy of armed groups. Transporters’ leaders said that the Quetta-Karachi highway is the most important trade and travel route of Balochistan, where a large number of passengers, traders, employees, and other citizens travel daily.
Due to unrest on this highway, the sense of insecurity among passengers is increasing, while transporters have serious concerns regarding financial losses, snatching of vehicles, and the safety of crew and passengers. If protection is not provided to citizens and transporters traveling on national highways, there is a risk that daily life and business activities will be severely affected.
They demanded the Balochistan government, concerned district administration, and law enforcement agencies to take immediate and effective measures for the restoration of law and order on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway, conduct transparent investigations into the incidents of taking passenger vehicles hostage, bring the involved elements to justice, and ensure the protection of the lives and property of passengers, drivers, conductors, and transporters. They said that the problem will not be solved by mere statements and assurances; rather, a sense of protection must be instilled in the people through practical measures. The government and concerned institutions should fulfill their responsibilities so that citizens can travel without fear and danger and the transport system on Balochistan’s important national highway can continue normally.
