Law and order crisis: BNP, BMM stage protests

QUETTA: Workers from both the Baloch National Party (BNP) Mengal group and the Balochistan Muttahida Mahaz (BMM) staged protests outside the Quetta Press Club on Saturday. Protesters from BNP demonstrated against the target killings of journalists and the ever increasing appearances of missing persons’ bodies in Khuzdar. Addressing the protesters, BNP Mengal central general secretary Akhtar Hussain Langov blamed state institutions for deliberately disturbing law and order in the city. He claimed the purpose behind target killings was to eventually establish a cantonment in Khuzdar. Meanwhile, BMM workers protested against kidnappings for ransom in Balochistan. Chanting slogans against the government, the protesters decried its failure to protect residents. Speaking at the protest, BMM vice chairman Shams Mengal said the kidnappings have taken the shape of an industry in the province. He said three BMM activists who were abducted have still not returned home. Mengal lamented that despite pointing out the kidnappers, the government had not taken any action.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7^th, 2012.