The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) has officially called off its 20-day-long sit-in protest in Mastung. This decision was announced by BNP-M leader Akhtar Mengal on Wednesday.
Mengal stated that the protest at Lak Pass was concluded to ease public inconvenience caused by prolonged road closures. Instead, the party will now shift its strategy to holding rallies across various districts of Balochistan. BNP-M’s central cabinet will meet on April 18 in Quetta to devise the party’s future plan of action.
Read more: BNP-M sit-in near Mastung: Protests escalate, Pak-Iran highway blocked
The sit-in caused significant public and economic disruption. Protesters blocked major highways connecting Quetta to Karachi and Taftan, disrupting supply chains and causing critical shortages of essential goods. According to Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) President Muhammad Ayub Maryani, the blockade resulted in daily financial losses worth millions of rupees, stranding over 1,200 trucks and containers—including 847 tankers carrying petroleum products from Iran.
The All Parties Conference (APC) held earlier during BNP-M’s sit-in passed nine resolutions. These included calls for the implementation of constitutional safeguards linked to the 1948 Instrument of Accession of Balochistan to Pakistan and a national-level dialogue to address the province’s long-standing issues.
