Opposition Demands Balochistan Government’s Resignation, Announces Nationwide Protest Campaign

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

The announcement followed a meeting of opposition leaders chaired by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, head of TTAP and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. The meeting reviewed the political and security situations in Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with issues relating to political prisoners, judicial independence, media freedom, missing persons, and the rule of law.

At a joint press conference, Achakzai said the opposition would begin 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 attack and demanded that officials responsible for security failures resign or be removed from office. Achakzai alleged that security personnel deployed during the incident were inadequately equipped and claimed that reinforcements failed to arrive despite repeated calls for assistance.

Warning against the continued use of force, he said political grievances should be resolved through dialogue, justice, and constitutional means rather than coercion. He also cautioned that if the concerns of the people of Balochistan remained unaddressed, the province’s political situation could worsen.

The opposition alliance stated that the Balochistan government had failed to protect civilians and security personnel and therefore no longer had the moral or political justification to remain in office. It also called for impartial investigations into the incidents in Ziarat, Hanna Urak, and other parts of the province, with those responsible brought before the law.

BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal said Balochistan was increasingly becoming a “no-go area” for politicians, journalists, and human rights activists. He argued that the province’s issues could not be resolved through military operations or force, calling instead for meaningful political dialogue, constitutional solutions, and action on the issue of missing persons.

PTI leader and senior lawyer Latif Khosa criticized constitutional amendments and legal immunity for senior officeholders, arguing that all citizens should be equal before the law. He also demanded that former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other political detainees be granted their constitutional and legal rights.

Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar called for all missing persons to be produced before the courts and urged the government to initiate immediate political dialogue in Balochistan. He also demanded the postponement of the proposed AJK elections, arguing that the prevailing political tensions could undermine a free and credible electoral process.

The opposition announced that a joint delegation would visit Balochistan and Azad Kashmir to meet affected families, protesters, political parties, and civil society representatives. It said the nationwide movement would focus on constitutional rights, judicial independence, media freedom, accountability for security failures, and the rule of law.