Amid a tense political standoff in Balochistan, the opposition party JUI-F has stepped forward, offering to mediate between the provincial government and BNP-M to resolve a two-week protest sit-in of BNP-M.
On Friday, a JUI-F delegation led by Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Senator Maulana Wasay met with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. They were joined by opposition leader Younis Aziz Zehri and other JUI-F lawmakers. Discussions centered on the Balochistan’s delicate law and order situation and the BNP-M-led protest in the Lakpass area.
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Efforts to end the sit-in have hit a deadlock despite multiple negotiation rounds, as revealed by a senior government official. CM Bugti briefed the JUI-F leaders on these discussions and offered to allow the protest’s long march participants to enter Quetta, but they have not reached a resolution.
Maulana Haideri expressed his party’s willingness to take on a reconciliatory role, telling CM Bugti, “We are ready to mediate and help bring the province out of this worsening situation.” The chief minister welcomed the offer, emphasizing the shared responsibility of government and opposition in restoring peace and political stability. He reiterated his government’s commitment to resolving political disputes through dialogue, acknowledging JUI-F’s constructive contributions to democracy.
Meanwhile, opposition parties jointly rejected the legitimacy of the provincial government in a press conference in Quetta, alleging electoral manipulation in its establishment. BNP-M Vice President Sajid Tareen and other political leaders criticized the government, accusing it of disregarding the people’s mandate.
Mr. Tareen condemned recent remarks by PPP ministers about BNP-M leaders, labeling them as baseless and accusatory. He further accused past leadership of exploiting Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s resources for Punjab’s development and dismissed the authority of the current parliament.
Other leaders, including PkMAP Secretary General Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal and PTI Balochistan President Dawood Shah Kakar, echoed these sentiments. They criticized constitutional amendments transferring control of provincial resources to the federal government, vowing to resist any federal encroachment on Balochistan’s mineral wealth.
BNP-M President Akhtar Mengal also denounced the PPP leadership, accusing it of abandoning Sindh and betraying Balochistan. Addressing the protest sit-in in Lakpass, he challenged PPP leaders to match his party’s resilience, highlighting their ongoing 14-day protest in demanding the release of detained activists.
