August 9, 2024
By Aitzaz Ibrahim
LAHORE:
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee in Gwadar has come to an end after their demands were accepted on the 12th day of their sit-in.
Bebarg Baloch, the leader of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), confirms demands were agreed on during BYC and Balochistan government negotiations.
The demands include: All arrested BYC activists will be released; FIRs against participants will be quashed; FIRs for those killed or injured during the Baloch Raaji Muchi will be lodged against responsible security officers and if no FIRs are filed, the BYC reserves the right to take legal action and hold another sit-in.
Further, they agreed that all highways in Gwadar and Makran will be reopened, and communication networks restored.
It is worth noting that BYC had organised Baloch Raaji Muchi (Baloch National Gathering) rally in Gwadar on July 28 to protest against forced disappearances. Following firing on the rally that resulted in the deaths of BYC activists, the rally was turned into a sit-in.
In addition to the main gathering in Gwadar, protests were held in Shal, Panjgur, Turbat, and Nushki in Balochistan.
The BYC and the Balochistan government continued negotiations for days. However, an agreement could not be reached.
In between, Provincial Minister of Balochistan Sadiq Imrani, speaking on Aaj News programme, Spotlight, on Monday, August 5, had invited the BYC leaders to negotiate with the provincial government through former Chief Minister of Balochistan, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch.
In response to Imrani’s statement, the BYC leaders had questioned the sincerity of his invitation and held it was mere rhetoric for the media.
Earlier, at a press conference on Monday, August 5, DG ISPR Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry labelled the leadership of the BYC as proxies for terrorists and criminal mafias. He stated that the BYC and its leaders are involved with terrorist organisations and illegal activities, funded externally to propagate against the military.
The BYC had expressed regret over DG ISPR’s statement, and had challenged him to present proof of external funding.