Ijaz Shah assures BNP-M of full govt support over Awaran women’s arrest

Interior minister says ‘we respect the culture, sentiments of the people of Balochistan’

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Brig (retd) Ijaz Shah has assured the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) delegation of the federal government’s full support in getting released four women arrested in Awaran last month.

“We respect the culture and sentiments of the people of Balochistan,” said the interior minister while addressing a BNP-M delegation at the Parliament House on Friday.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, members of the BNP-M delegation, headed by Akhtar Mengal, and others were in attendance.

On Tuesday, the BNP-M had termed the reported arrest of the women a direct attack on the traditions of the Baloch people, demanding formation of a high-level committee to investigate into the incident.

At a press conference, BNP-M’s Abdul Wali Kakar had stated that the four Baloch women were picked up from their homes without showing any warrants and put behind bars.

According to a tweet by rights activist associated with Amnesty International, Rabia Mehmood, four Baloch women -- Sakina, Sayad Bibi, Nazal and Hameeda -- had been forcibly picked up from district Awaran in Balochistan.

Interior Minister Shah said he planned this meeting keeping in view of the sensitivity of the situation, adding that the primary purpose of this meeting was to ensure a “positive and timely solution” to the matter.

"The people of Balochistan are very close to my heart. We have taken all stakeholders on board for expediting the matter and ensuring that action is taken in time," said the minister.

The deputy speaker spoke about the tribal culture of Balochistan and explained how the matter had become immensely sensitive due to the involvement of women in the case.

The federal minister said he fully understood the intensity of the situation and expressed that it was understandable how things had now become a matter of honour for the area and its people.

Akhtar Mengal appreciated the positive step of the federal minister for interior and the deputy speaker.