Political parties in Balochistan have announced a province-wide wheel-jam and shutter-down strike on September 8 in strike against the suicide attack that occurred on Saryab Road in Quetta on September 2.
The announcement was made during a joint press conference in Quetta attended by leaders from multiple political parties including Mahmood Khan Achakzai of Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan, Sardar Akhtar Mengal of Balochistan National Party, Kabir Mohammad of National Party’s central secretary general, Asghar Khan Achakzai of Awami National Party’s provincial president, Dawood Shah Kakar of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s provincial president, and Allama Wilayat Hussain Jafri of Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai condemned the suicide attack near Shahwani Stadium, calling it equivalent to the murder of humanity, referencing the Quranic verse that the killing of one innocent person is like killing all of humanity. He questioned what crime they had committed that their children were being targeted and emphasized that holding rallies is a constitutional right, vowing to continue raising slogans for democracy. He stated that while Balochistan is an integral part of Pakistan, local people’s primary rights over resources must be recognized. He announced that during the peaceful protest on September 8, train and flight services would be suspended to send a message to the world that they are the owners of this country and its roads.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal described the blast as a conspiracy to suppress political struggle but declared they would not be intimidated. He criticized government failure, questioning why permission for a rally at the hockey ground wasn’t granted if there was prior threat information. He complained that while media notices wheelchair theft from civil hospitals, it fails to see the loss of human lives. He appealed to traders, transporters, and other sectors to make the September 8 protest successful.
National Party’s Kabir Mohammad stated that current assemblies lack true representatives of the people and that Balochistan’s coast and resources are being handed over to the federation. He called September 2’s incident, which occurred during Sardar Ataullah Mengal’s death anniversary, a moment of grief for the entire province. He emphasized that the martyrs belong not just to BNP but to all of Balochistan, and the struggle for true democracy will continue. He requested full participation from business people, landlords, lawyers, and political workers in the protest.
ANP’s Asghar Khan Achakzai said that resources of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have become a curse for them, alleging that policies made in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are destroying employment opportunities for Baloch and Pashtun nations. PTI’s Dawood Shah Kakar said September 2 wrote a new history of oppression and that the Form 47 government has no legitimacy. He demanded that Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and the cabinet should resign.
Allama Wilayat Hussain Jafri stated that oppressors never remain and nothing can be achieved through the power of guns. He said those who carry 100 funeral processions in a day will not back down from their purpose. The press conference concluded with prayers for the martyrs’ souls. Leaders announced that after the September 8 protest, all parties will jointly decide the future course of action.
