Opposition Demands Resignation of Balochistan Government, Announces Nationwide Protest Movement

Islamabad: Leaders of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) alliance and other opposition parties have demanded the immediate resignation of the Balochistan government over the province’s deteriorating law and order situation and the recent Ziarat incident, while announcing a nationwide protest campaign.

The announcement followed a meeting of opposition leaders chaired by National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai in Islamabad. The participants discussed the security and political situation in Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as issues relating to missing persons, judicial independence, media freedom, constitutional rights, and political prisoners.

Addressing a joint press conference, Achakzai said the opposition would launch its political movement from Balochistan and that senior leaders would visit Quetta to express solidarity with the families of those killed in the Ziarat incident and participants of the ongoing sit-ins.

He called for an independent investigation into the recent violence in Ziarat and other parts of Balochistan, saying officials who failed to protect civilians and security personnel should resign or be removed from office. He also urged the government to resolve political issues through dialogue, justice, and constitutional means rather than the use of force.

The opposition alliance said the Balochistan government had failed to maintain law and order and therefore no longer had the moral or political justification to remain in office. It also demanded impartial investigations into the incidents in Ziarat, Hanna Urak, and other affected areas, with those responsible brought before the law.

BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal claimed that Balochistan was increasingly becoming a “no-go area” where politicians, journalists, and human rights activists could not operate freely. He argued that the province’s problems could not be solved through military operations or the use of force, calling instead for meaningful political dialogue, greater public representation, and a constitutional resolution to the issue of missing persons.

PTI leader and senior lawyer Latif Khosa criticized constitutional amendments and legal immunity granted to senior officeholders, saying all citizens should be equal before the law. He also called for constitutional rights and due process to be ensured for former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other political detainees.

Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar urged authorities to produce all missing persons before the courts and said any allegations against them should be addressed through due legal process. He also called for immediate political dialogue in Balochistan.

The opposition further demanded the postponement of the proposed AJK elections, arguing that the current political tensions could undermine a free and peaceful electoral process. It also announced that a joint delegation would visit Balochistan and Azad Kashmir to meet affected families, protesters, political parties, and civil society representatives.

The opposition alliance said it would continue its nationwide political and protest movement in support of constitutional rights, judicial independence, media freedom, the production of missing persons before the courts, and the rule of law.