Talks continue as protest over Ziarat attack enters fifth day

Negotiations between a government committee and representatives of the families of police personnel martyred in the Ziarat terrorist attack continued on Monday at a sit-in protest camp, which resumed after a one-day gap.

The sit-in protest at Koila Phatak entered its fifth day, with the families of the martyred police personnel and camp organisers remaining seated with the seven bodies of the officers. The protesters have refused to bury the victims until all of their demands are accepted, demanding justice for the victims of terrorism. Their core demands include the establishment of an independent and empowered judicial commission to investigate the Ziarat terrorist attack, the complete elimination of terrorist groups from Ziarat, Harnai, Hanna Urak, Shaban, Zarghoon, and other affected areas, as well as the immediate restoration of the Levies Force.

The government team held talks with representatives of the All Parties Alliance and the victims’ families, with negotiations remaining underway late into the night. Throughout the day, political party leaders, civil society members, and tribal elders visited the sit-in camp to show solidarity.

Senior politician and former Senator Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani addressed the protesters, calling for a grand jirga to address the political and security challenges of Balochistan. He alleged that the recent bloodshed in Pashtun areas is directly linked to land acquisition and resource policies under the Mines and Minerals Act and the Defence Housing Authority Act. Raisani argued that these latest incidents are part of a continuing cycle of violence spanning seven decades, claiming that the DHA Act would displace local tribes around Quetta with the intention of settling outsiders who could later hold key offices. He also criticised the Mines and Minerals Act for potentially stripping the people of Balochistan of control over their natural resources.

Stressing that there is no division between the Baloch and Pashtun communities, Raisani condemned attempts to create ethnic divisions and stated that he and former Chief Minister Nawab Raisani are prepared to convene a large jirga to discuss the future of Balochistan.