Suicide attacker strikes near BNP-M rally in Mastung
Mengal had announced a “long march” from Wadh to Quetta to protest the arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) chief organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch and other leaders as well as police crackdowns on a sit-in. However, the Quetta administration has denied the BNP-M permission to go ahead with its rally.
Marchers and motorists from different political parties had started their journey to Quetta from Mengal’s native town of Wadh at around 9am on Friday. Earlier today, the BNP-M claimed that over 250 of its activists were detained as its march was met with police action near Mastung.
As reports of a blast near the BNP-M’s rally emerged at around 1pm, Mengal said on X that he was “safe with all party workers”.
In a statement, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said the same: “According to reports, there has been no loss of life. Sardar Akhtar Mengal and the entire BNP-M leadership is safe.”
The spokesperson noted that the BNP-M’s sit-in was underway near the site of the “alleged suicide blast” and that the public would soon be informed about the results of an inquiry into the incident.
The official assured the party that the safety of the rally’s participants, Mengal and other leaders was the provincial government’s responsibility.
Rind said the Balochistan government was in contact with the party’s leadership since last night. According to him, a delegation of the BNP-M also met with the local administration on Friday night, after which it was agreed that a government delegation would meet with Mengal.
The government called on Mengal, his party and the public to cooperate with it and “help in improving the situation through talks”.
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